Kamijou Dates a woman
by Hypercritical-Q
Summary: Updated! After overhearing the Dean telling Miyagi to draft a letter of resignation, investigation ensues- but all is not what one might think. Ego, Tero, etc.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **As the title indicates, Kamijou is going to go on a date with a woman… but not until the 8th chapter. This story will have cameos from many characters from JR.

-.=.-.=.-

He never thought the day would come.

In fact, since age ten, it had seemed quite unfathomable.

Kamijou Hiroki had a date...

With a _woman_.

Nowaki was not going to like this.

Kamijou had the feeling he'd like it even less.

How did this horrible atrocity come to be? Let's venture back about 6 hours...

-.=.-.=.-

Hurriedly, Kamijou headed down one of M University's longest halls toward his classroom. He'd gotten into a bit of a debate with Miyagi, regarding a book that one of them hated and the other loved.

Naturally, the debate had gone on a tad too long, and before he knew it, Miyagi had won by default; Kamijou was now running late.

Nearly stampeding over a couple of students who were kneeling on the floor picking up some papers that they'd dropped, the demon professor glowered.

His morning had already started off a bit rough, and it didn't seem to be calming down any as the day went on.

He opened the door to his classroom and felt a smirk tug at his lips when each student turned to face front, sitting up perfectly straight.

He glanced at the clock. He was exactly one minute late. That was not good. He'd scold and glower at any of his students if they had come late to class. This would be his death.

He decided against any excuses, instead opting to arch his brow at the clock. Then he tapped his watch, sporting a confused expression.

Perfect.

The students looked even tenser, now. As Kamijou had suspected, they obviously had thought they could use this against him, and now that it was 'a broken watch,' they had nothing- NOTHING!

Yes, Kamijou was slick. Perhaps the rest of his day could be salvaged.

Elsewhere, Miyagi Yoh was placing a tack on his assistant's chair for calling his favorite character in one of his favorite books 'one-dimensional' and 'transparent.'

He'd already convinced Kamijou that once he finished reading the sequel, he would gain a new understanding of his beloved character, but this would help teach his condescending assistant not to be so opinionated when it came to the things others loved. It probably wouldn't even hurt that much- Kamijou was probably well used to ass-pain, after all.

'Why am I such a dick, today?' Miyagi sighed, removing the tack. '_I'm _the only pain in the ass,' he thougt.

"Miyagi-kun!" The dean threw the door open, happily. "Good morning!"

"Good morning, Gakubuchou!" Miyagi turned, closing his hand quickly to hide the tack. He smiled, eye twitching when he felt blood seep through his clenched fist.

His eye gave another twitch when his ex-wife, Risako, peered around her father's shoulder.

"Good morning, Yoh." Risako nodded to him and he closed his eyes, smiling.

"Good morning, Risako."

"Does Kamijou have a class, right now?" The dean frowned, checking his watch.

"Ah- yes." Miyagi nodded.

"Sorry, Risako, I can't leave without giving this to him," the dean sighed, placing the folder he was holding under his arm. "We'll have to wait."

"If you'd like, I'd be more than happy to give it to him," Miyagi offered.

"Ah- I'd let you, but it's confidential." The dean shrugged. "I appreciate it, though."

'Confidential? And I can't see? Wonder what's up,' Miyagi thought, blinking.

"That Kamijou guy," Risako brought the men's attention to her, suddenly. "He's fairly young for an assistant professor, isn't he?"

"Yeah," Miyagi agreed. "He's twenty nine. Same as me."

Risako rolled her eyes in a manner that she often did when she was about to patronize Miyagi, and he clenched his fist tighter in anticipation of the admonishment. This absent-mindedly inflicted more pain on his tack-penetrated palm.

"Yes, yes, you're twenty-nine _again_," she huffed and the dean chuckled.

"Me, too!"

"So he's my age," Risako stroked her chin, thoughtfully. "I used to think older men were more alluring, but some men who are older are not necessarily more mature. That Kamijou, he seems quite mature, doesn't he, Yoh?"

Ignoring the direct stab at his pride, Miyagi smiled. "Yes, he's extremely mature- very intelligent, and-"

"Does he have a girlfriend?" Risako asked, suddenly.

Miyagi fell silent.

Oh shit.

The dean blinked, suddenly interested. "He's not married, is he? At twenty nine, he should really settle down."

"He really should, hmm?" Risako turned to Miyagi. "So? Does he?"

"Ah… Kamijou is married to his work, like me," Miyagi laughed, nervously.

"Ah, you're both married to the same job?" the Dean teased.

"Guess everyone you ever marry will end up cheating on you," Risako quipped and the men laughed nervously at the tension looming in the air. As if to ease it, Risako made another joke; "You're practically married to my brother."

Miyagi's face paled as he smiled, nervously. "Yeah?"

"You hang around him often-enough. Honestly, you have too much tolerance."

"Ahahahah… hah… ahh…" He held his hands behind his back. "Um, so-"

"Don't you have a class starting, pretty soon, Miyagi-kun?" the dean glanced at his watch.

"Not for another ten minutes, but I guess I could head off, early. You two will probably be waiting over an hour on Kamijou, you should go catch lunch or something- nice to see you again, Risako."

She huffed, averting her gaze and the dean frowned, obviously feeling guilty for having brought her to work, or allowing her to come.

He had made some promise to Miyagi at one point that this very type of awkward situation would not occur.

Oh well.

As he headed out, Miyagi heard Risako speaking to her father.

"I think you should ask that Kamijou guy to go on a date with me."

After that, Miyagi hurried to the bathroom to clean the blood from his hand.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **Chapter 2. Woot~ woot~

Thanks so much for all the reviews, you guys. They keep me motivated!

-.=.-.=.-

**Chapter 2**

-.=.-.=.-

After class, Kamijou slid his glasses off and rubbed relentlessly at his temples as he walked down the hall toward his office.

His books were tucked under one arm and someone bumped into him while he was massaging his face, knocking them all over.

Annoyed, he knelt down to pick them up and glowered up at the person who had bumped into him, only to blink, then glower when he realized it was Miyagi.

"What the hell, prof-?"

"In your office, the dean is waiting for you," Miyagi whispered as he helped Kamijou to gather his things, slowly. Kamijou blinked, caught off guard.

"Hah?"

"Shh. He's got a folder and says he needs to speak to you about something in confidence. I have no idea what it's about, but more importantly, my ex-wife is in there."

"No big deal, I'll tell her you're not around, as usual," Kamijou huffed, annoyed.

"This isn't about me. She's going to try to get a date with you," Miyagi snapped.

"What?" Kamijou paused, fingertips brushing the cover of a text book.

"I didn't say anything to indicate that you've got anyone special in your life, or to indicate that you're a flaming homo, so whatever happens, I want you to know it's _not_ my fault, but I'd recommend humoring her, and accepting the invitation."

"But why-?"

"I can tell you exactly what to do to turn her off during the date, so she doesn't want to ask you out again. Don't say no to her. If you just go and annoy the hell out of her, you won't have to worry about it jeopardizing your job in any way. Got it? Good. Go." Miyagi stood with a veeeery confused Kamijou, stuffing the papers and books back into the man's hold and then laughing.

"Sorry about that, Kamijou!" he stated, loudly.

"Eh… no… problem…?" Kamijou stared ahead at his office as Miyagi walked off. "Err- didn't you have a class?"

"I cut it short," Miyagi called back as he walked off. "Now **go**_**.**_"

Kamijou headed slowly into his office. If Miyagi wasn't just being a dick to get back at him for argumentatively ripping apart his favorite character in that stupid book, then it would be confirmed when he stepped through that door.

Opening it, he swallowed nervously when he saw the dean and his beautiful daughter sitting on the couch, talking. Both of them glanced up upon his entry, startled.

Feigning equal surprise, he stood there for a moment, blinking, before setting his things down.

"Gakubuchou, good morning," he nodded. "And Takatsuki-san, to you as well."

"Good morning, Kamijou-san," Risako smiled, civilly. The dean sighed.

"Kamijou and I have a private matter to discuss, Risako. Would you mind stepping outside for just a moment?"

"Not at all, I'm sure it's important."

"Actually, we can discuss it tomorrow," the dean stated, suddenly.

"Mm?" Risako paused, blinking.

"What is it?" Kamijou eyed the folder, eyes following it wherever it went. The dean crossed the room, so Kamijou's eyes followed him.

"It's nothing that we can't discuss, tomorrow." The dean shrugged. "By the way, Kamijou, you've met my lovely Risako before, haven't you?"

"Yes. She comes by on occasion," Kamijou neutrally stated, "for you or Professor Miyagi."

"Are you seeing anyone, Kamijou?" the dean asked.

"Ah-?" His eye twitched. Hopefully it wasn't noticeable. "N-not really…"

"Well, are you free this Sunday evening?" Risako inquired.

"Uh…" Kamijou thought about it with a sigh. That was Nowaki's only day off this week, but even though he shouldn't, he trusted Miyagi, so he smiled. "I'm not doing anything on Sunday except reading."

"How about dinner, then?" Risako inquired.

"Din… ner…?"

"There's this nice family restaurant across the street from a lovely floral shop that I've never been to, but my friend-"

"No! Not there!"

"Eh?" Both the dean and Risako blinked.

"Err… I know the one. I would advise against going there," Kamijou stated, quickly. "_Ever._ I had a pretty nasty experience there that I don't care to discuss."

"Oh." She blinked. "Then, perhaps another restaurant?"

"Sure, yeah, uh… there's this new place that opened up nearby. That would be good."

'That would be good? Man, I'm fucked. I have no idea how to talk to women who aren't students or colleagues,' Kamijou thought furiously at himself.

"Great!" She smiled. "Pick me up at eight. I'll text you my address later. For now, my father _promised_ me lunch at my favorite restaurant."

"Okay. Are you taking off early then, Gakubuchou?" Kamijou inquired.

"Yes, I'll be gone for the rest of the day. We'll discuss this, later." The dean smiled, raising the folder.

"Well, have a good lunch." Kamijou waved until the door had closed. Then he deflated, sinking into the couch and shuddering all over. How did this happen? Somehow, it had to be Miyagi's fault for him to be taking responsibility for it.

Or maybe it was the contents of the folder? What could it be? So many mysteries… what the hell was going on, anyway?

He tugged out his cell and texted Miyagi:

{10:23:12}: _Where the hell are you? What the hell WAS that? You better tell me!_

Then he thought for a moment before texting Nowaki:

{10:25:46}: _I'm going to be busy Sunday night, so if you could switch with someone and get Saturday night off, that would probably be better for you. I have to go out on Sunday night for a business obligation._

He felt it only fair to give Nowaki plenty of advance notice before just dumping everything on him.

Even though he hadn't quite come out with it yet, they could discuss it in detail later, when he wasn't at work.

The important thing to inform the other man of was the fact that he need not take Sunday off and look forward to it if Kamijou was just going to be away.

He cared too much about Nowaki to let him get disappointed over something like that. Even if it would be trivial to someone else, it'd definitely crush Nowaki, even if only for that week.

He received a reply from Miyagi. Somewhat relieved, he checked the text. It read:

_ {10:28:05}: We'll talk later. Don't text at school. It reflects a poor work ethic._

Kamijou growled, stuffing his cell in his pocket. The man was **dead** when next they met up.

**TBC**

.=.-.=.-

**AN: **As always, please be so kind as to review. =D

Nothing brightens my day more than seeing fresh reviews in my yahoo inbox!


	3. Chapter 3

-.=.-.=.-

**Chapter 3**

-.=.-.=.-

Kamijou's next class drawled on.

And on.

And on.

As did his next, and his next.

Between classes, he'd search the halls for any sign of Miyagi but he knew that if the man didn't wish to be found, he absolutely would not be found.

Six hours after the little chat with the dean and his beloved daughter, Kamijou sat; waiting for Miyagi in the office they shared.

He could wait as long as he needed to; Nowaki wouldn't be coming home tonight. The man practically lived at that damn hospital.

He waited for an hour or so before Miyagi showed up.

The man was humming. HUMMING!

He backed into the office, wheeling in a cart.

A cart? Why…?

"What're you doing?" Kamijou asked, annoyed.

"Ah- Kamijou! Evidently our office has become a health hazard. The university year-end review is coming up, so I guess the dean's taking a ton of extra precautions to ensure that we get a good review… or whatever." He started placing books on it.

"Hah? Where're you taking everything?"

"Not everything- just some of the books. They cleaned out a rather large sized janitor's closet for us to store our books in. They're changing the name to the Literary Department's reference book closet or something."

"Who the hell decided that?"

"Me," Miyagi stated simply, piling some books onto the cart. Kamijou sighed, helping him.

"That's all well and good, Professor, but do you care to tell me why the hell I have to go on a date with the damn dean's daughter?"

"If you turned her down, the dean would frown upon it," Miyagi huffed. "He'd probably find it insulting that you don't find Risako attractive."

"She's attractive, but why do I have to go out with her?"

"Business politics, Kamijou. Business politics. You're the kind of guy who probably thinks this kind of thing is stupid and that if you just tell the dean that you prefer to leave work and romance separate, he'll respect you."

"Won't he?"

"Nope."

"Miyagi, what the hell is taking you so long?" Shinobu burst through the office entrance suddenly. Miyagi and Kamijou both turned, gawking at him.

Kamijou inhaled before walking calmly over to Shinobu, who blinked when the man pushed him out of the office and closed and locked the door. "Knock. Before. You. Enter."

Shinobu's fist connected with the door, resulting in a rather loud sound.

"Come in," Miyagi squeaked weakly. Kamijou was in a bad mood and Shinobu… just plain didn't like Kamijou.

Kamijou unlocked the door and opened it, gesturing for Shinobu to enter.

Shinobu glowered at him as he passed.

"I forgot to pick you up. I'm sorry," Miyagi sighed.

"Well, it wouldn't be so bad if I hadn't told you I could get a ride and if you hadn't _insisted_ that I wait for you!" Shinobu snapped.

"How did you end up over here so fast?"

"I texted the initial ride and they drove me over here."

"Hurraaaay, everything worked out!"

"'_Hurraaay_' my_** ass**_, you dickweed!" Shinobu snapped. "You've shown a very unreliable face to me! So as not to lower yourself in my eyes, I think dinner at my new favorite restaurant should suffice."

"But then I won't get to eat any of your delicious cabbage..."

Shinobu's new favorite restaurant was very expensive.

"Excuse me, but we're trying to have a conversation here," Kamijou snapped.

Shinobu slooowly turned to glare hard at Kamijou. "You're dismissed."

Kamijou's jaw dropped. The _audacity _of this kid!

"Kamijou just got roped into going on a date with your sister," Miyagi updated Shinobu suddenly. "Be a tad more sympathetic, would you?"

"What?" Shinobu barked. "I thought you said he was gay!"

"Who all do you tell that to, Professor?" Kamijou exploded.

"Just Shinobu-chin! He thought there was more to our work relationship, so I told him that's impossible since you're a homo- I'd never tell anyone, otherwise. What business is it of other people if-"

"Wait, wait." Kamijou rubbed his temples, inhaling deeply. "He thought you and I were… romantically involved?"

"I know! Stupid, right?"

"And to contradict his _asinine _theory, you stated that this is impossible because I'm gay?"

"Yeah, but like I said, I only said that so-"

"Professor, that doesn't make any- no, go ahead. Finish what you were going to say."

"I only said that so he'd understand that there's nothing going on between us!"

"How would that fact disprove his theory?"

"You're gay and I'm straight! Umm… _duh_."

Shinobu and Kamijou exchanged very similar, bemused looks.

"I have to tolerate him out of obligation. He is my superior. You tolerate him of your own volition," Kamijou snapped at the teen who huffed.

"Shut up."

"Hey! It makes perfect sense!" Miyagi snapped. "Straight people don't go out with gay people!"

"So you're 'straight' too?" Kamijou glanced at Shinobu.

"I like dick."

Both men fell silent, gawking at the straightforward teen.

"Well, okay then." Kamijou coughed into his hand, clearing his throat. He'd somehow earned a new respect for the boy, despite that he'd certainly deny the fact out loud.

"Shinobu-chin! Don't be so vulgar!" Miyagi glanced over at the door to make sure Shinobu had closed it properly when he had entered.

"What happened to your hand, old man?" Shinobu took his lover's wrist suddenly, frowning at the sloppy bandage that sat messily on Miyagi's palm.

"Mm? Ooooh, that… I was… reading to some orphan children, and I got a paper cut."

"Is _that _what happened?"

"Yeah, ask the orphans."

"Where are they?"

"Oh shit! Nowaki!" Kamijou pulled his cell phone out and checked his messages.

"Again with the texting at work? For _**shame**_, Kami-"

"Shut up!" Kamijou barked as he read the messages:

_{14:53:54}: Okay. Thank you for letting me know ahead of time I will see if someone will switch shifts with me so I can have Saturday off instead also I will be home for a brief time tonight I have to leave early tomorrow morning please don't worry about breakfast tomorrow_

_{19:37:20}: I am home now are you working late_

Kamijou frowned, and not just at the complete neglect of grammar. Quickly, he began texting back:

_{19:43:41}: I am on my way home. Will you be there long?_

"Who's Nowaki?" Kamijou gawked when he realized Shinobu was peering over his shoulder. "And why are you two sending text messages during work and school hours?"

"Quit reading over his shoulder, Shinobu-chin, it's rude," Miyagi stated, planting his chin on Kamijou's shoulder so he could watch, too.

"I have to go home. Give me a ride so I can make it in time to explain this whole stupid date thing to Nowaki."

"But I still have work."

"Then drive me home and come back!"

Miyagi sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Alright, let's get going, then."

-.=.-.=.-

"Nowaki, I'm sorry we almost missed each other!" Hiroki hurriedly entered the apartment he shared with one Kusama Nowaki, barely catching him before he could head out.

Nowaki blinked at him, eyes narrowing. He looked off, somehow. Almost as if he'd been crying.

Hiroki paused, blinking. "Is something the matter?"

"Ah, no… how was your day, Hiro-san?" Nowaki asked, his smile obviously forced.

"What about you?" Hiroki asked, getting a really bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Something tells me you had a rougher day."

Nowaki frowned. "At work, there was an eleven year old girl brought in."

"One of your patients?"

"No, I work in the pediatrics department, with children," Nowaki stated.

"Isn't an eleven year old still somewhat of a child?" Hiroki huffed.

"This girl was pregnant."

Hiroki frowned. "You said eleven?"

Nowaki nodded, frowning. "She was a patient of mine about a year ago. One of my first patients."

"Oh," Hiroki frowned. "How… pregnant is she?"

"She's not anymore."

"Abortion?"

"She died during the delivery. Her body couldn't handle it," Nowaki said so softly that it made Hiroki's heart break.

"Nowaki… I… I'm so-"

"S-so what type of business obligation do you have Sunday night?" Nowaki smiled, trying to change the subject, quickly.

"Ah, I… I'll have to talk to you about it, later. There's no way, now… I can't..."

"Is everything alright?" Nowaki frowned.

"Sort of- I mean… everything _will be _alright."

"Okay. Well, I have to go, Hiro-san, but let me know if something comes up. Hopefully, I'll see you Saturday night."

"You're not going to be home again, before tha-?" Hiroki trailed off, noticing Nowaki had his overnight pack with him, and that it seemed bloated. "Oh."

"Have a good week, Hiro-san."

"I thought you were here until early tomorrow morning?"

"I was asked to come immediately back."

"Is your hospital understaffed, or something?"

"I'm sorry, Hiro-san."

"It's not just me… you're going to die if you keep up this pace. Do you think you can close the four year gap by aging four years' worth in one month?"

Nowaki laughed, softly. "Maybe that's my plan."

He turned to head off, but Hiroki caught him by the hand, pulling closer. "I have a date on Sunday night, with a woman. It's completely obligatory! The dean introduced me to his daughter and she took a liking to me. Professor Miyagi is going to teach me how to get her to dislike me for good measure, but-!"

Nowaki blinked, dumbfounded. "A date? With a woman?"

"Yeah."

"Kkmfmfmffff…. Hiro-san, you always know just what to say to make me feel better!" Nowaki hugged his lover tightly. Hiroki glowered into the broad chest.

"I'm not joking!" He pushed away, annoyed. "I'd feel terribly guilty if I waited until Saturday to tell you, so I have to tell you, now. I don't want you to end up thinking I'm keeping secrets or something."

"Oh..." Nowaki fell silent, again.

"But I said it's obligatory! I'm not going to end up leading some double life or something like that, I promise!"

"Thank you for telling me, Hiro-san. Try not to fall in love with her."

"Psht! Don't worry about it. At the very least, we can identify and start up a bitch fest about that damn idiot boss of mine."

Nowaki smiled. "I have to get to work. Don't worry about it too much," he patted Hiroki on the head. "I love you, Hiro-san."

"Love you, too," Hiroki sighed. "I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better."

Nowaki smiled. "It's alright, Hiro-san… sometimes it's healthy to feel a little depressed. It means I've got a heart."

Hiroki averted his gaze. "I love you."

Nowaki blinked before smiling. "Hiro-san, even though I said that, I already know you have a very good heart, so I hope you don't ever feel depressed."

"I'll be sad that you're sad- in a way, it's good, I suppose. But I just wish we could not be sad."

Nowaki laughed. "That's something one of the children said, today."

"You calling me a kid?"

"Just saying that it's a very childish way of thinking- not that it's bad. I think that's how most people feel, deep down. I would hope so, anyway. Very pure."

Hiroki inhaled, mustering up as much courage as he could and taking Nowaki's hands, linking their fingers. Nowaki really needed a pick me up, and to be perfectly honest, so did Hiroki.

He leaned up, closing his eyes and Nowaki bridged the gap, pressing their lips and tongues together.

After a moment that was far too brief, Nowaki pulled back.

"Saturday will be just for us," Hiroki promised, and Nowaki hugged him tight.

"Yes."

**TBC**

-.=.-.=.-


	4. Chapter 4

-.=.-.=.-

**Chapter 4**

-.=.-.=.-

Shinobu's parents had him over for dinner three days out of the month. Today was one of those days.

Only today, he had a mission; find out what the hell was in that manila envelope Miyagi and Kamijou had been discussing. Miyagi had not-so-subtly asked him to find out, and even though Shinobu played it off like it was a trivial, idiotic matter, he took his current mission very seriously.

Because Miyagi had asked him to do it, and because it had to do with Miyagi's work, Shinobu wanted to be involved.

His status as the dean's son had thus far been a hindrance to their relationship. That it could now be used to Miyagi's advantage made him very happy.

If only this whole situation didn't have anything to do with that skank subordinate of his lover's. Oh well.

He would be tactful. He would be cunning.

"Hello, father, how was your day?" Shinobu smiled to the dean when he walked through the door after a late night meeting at one of the other universities.

Perfect. Act casual, act casual.

He could see the manila folder in his father's hold.

"Oh, it went well, Shinobu. It's always so great to come home and get to see your face, just like old times." The dean smiled, ruffling Shinobu's hair affectionately.

Be casual, be casual.

"It's good to see you guys every once in a while. Makes me feel grounded," Shinobu replied.

Tactfully… taaactfuuully…

"What's in the folder?" He pointed curiously.

Takatsuki Shinobu was not a tactful person by nature.

"Ah- this is for work," his father replied nonchalantly.

"Ah. For Miyagi?" Shinobu inquired.

"Why is it always 'Miyagi' this and 'Miyagi' that with you?" Risako asked as she set the kitchen table. "Did you want an older brother so much? Was I not good enough for you?"

"Didn't you want a little sister?" Shinobu glowered at her for interrupting his conversation with his father.

"These aren't for Miyagi. These are merely documents pertaining to a personal issue that was brought to my attention at work recently," the dean replied with a tired sigh.

"Want me to take them to your office so you can have a seat?" Shinobu offered, holding his hand out.

"Thanks, Shinobu, but I have to get changed anyway. I need to get out of these clothes." The dean smiled. "Why don't you help your sister prepare the table?"

"What's for dinner?" Shinobu gave up on determining the contents of the folder…

For now.

-.=.-.=.-

Shinobu glanced over at the manila envelope on his father's office desk after dinner.

His father and mother were arguing about something in the kitchen, so he took this opportunity to sneak into the office and snag the envelope. He stuffed it carefully under his shirt and headed into the bathroom, locking the door.

He opened it and pulled out the documents inside, blinking in shock at its contents.

-.=.-.=.-

"How's this look?" Hiroki snapped, pulling on another sports jacket.

"Too nice, too nice. Risako really likes a sharply dressed man."

For the umpteenth time that night, Kamijou smirked, clearing his throat before repeating:

"So, what'd she like about _you_?"

"If you say that _one more time_-_!_"

"I can't help it!" Kamijou snapped, pulling off the blazer.

"Hang on, there was this one time I rolled the sleeves to my blazer up and left my shirt sleeves long and she wouldn't talk to me for a week after that-"

"With reason," Kamijou stated as Miyagi rolled the sleeves up a bit.

"_Wow!_ That _does_ look ridiculous!" Miyagi commented.

"You think?"

"Alright, alright, we're approaching this all wrong." Miyagi began undressing Kamijou. "If you really want her to find you unattractive-"

"Miyagi!" Shinobu burst into Miyagi's apartment suddenly, panting. "That manila envelope you told me to find out about, I found-! WHAT THE HELL?" he growled, pointing.

Miyagi blinked, still unbuttoning Kamijou's shirt.

"Professor, this looks rather..."

"Mm?" Miyagi glared at Shinobu and went back to what he was doing. "Shinobu, come help me."

Shinobu glowered harder, his whole face etching with red. "I believe in monogamy! _Monogamy_!"

"So do I," Miyagi snapped. "You _know _I can't stand cheaters, so when you accuse me of it, it makes me cry a thousand tears- now come help me dress Kamijou to where Risako won't ask him on a second date."

"Ooooooh." Shinobu stared. "…Really?"

"Yes," Miyagi replied. "Hurry up! He can't stay over long."

"Risako hates beige. She thinks it's boring and that men should dress in more color," Shinobu offered.

"Hmmm," Miyagi put back a green shirt he had just been about to try on Kamijou. "That…and definitely wear briefs. She thinks they're stupid."

"How would she find out what underwear I'm wearing?" Kamijou huffed.

Miyagi and Shinobu exchanged looks.

"She'd definitely dump me if we had sex!" Kamijou snapped. "I wouldn't be able to perform! I mean, I could… if I wanted to… maybe…? B-but the whole willingness issue… anyway… Besides-! I can't have sex with her, even if this whole thing is a sham! Nowaki would be crushed!"

"Waaait, I'm getting an idea." Miyagi smirked suddenly. "You don't actually have to have sex with her… a-ll you have to do is try to pressure her into having sex on the first date and she'll get pissed off and dump you! That's it!" The 'brilliant' professor snapped his fingers.

"Don't you dare!" Shinobu snapped, glowering daggers at Kamijou. "Don't lay a finger on her!"

". . ." Both men fell silent.

"He's not _really_ going to, Shinobu."

"You don't pressure a girl! That's not right!" Shinobu snapped up at his lover.

"That's the _point_, Shinobu-chin," Miyagi snapped.

"What is it with you and thinking that doing things wrong will work? It never does!"

"When the outcome we're aiming for is-"

"How many times did you aim for the outcome of turning _me_ off?" Shinobu snapped. "Did it work?"

"He's right!" Kamijou threw off the oversized blazer Miyagi had put on him. "You can't do anything right! What am I _doing_ putting my trust in you, anyway? This is probably some elaborate plan to embarrass me! I bet inside, you're just laughing at me, aren't you?"

"A little, but I'm mostly trying to help."

"I KNEW IT!"

"Actually…" Shinobu frowned, folding his arms. "Mm."

"What is it?" Kamijou snapped at him.

"Nothing." He averted his gaze.

"Didn't you have something to say before?" Miyagi asked. "About finding something at your parents' house? That manila folder I asked you to snag?"

"I've decided I want to see how this plays out," Shinobu stated, glancing away smugly.

Both men glowered at the cryptic teen, watching as he headed off- probably to study in his apartment.

"Look, Professor… I think I can do it just fine on my own. I'm pretty good at arguing with people, so I'm sure-"

"She loves to debate."

"Well, I'm good at pissing people off, in any case. I can figure out how she feels about certain things we don't agree on and I'll push her buttons."

"Alright, alright," Miyagi sighed. "You really don't want my help?"

"If push comes to shove, I'll just tell her, very politely, that I don't date cheaters."

"THAT'LL MAKE IT LOOK LIKE I TALKED BAD ABOUT HER BEHIND HER BACK!"

"You did! You whined about it for a week!"

"Everyone already knew though!"

"Because _you_ whined about it!"

"NOOO! They knew, anyhow!"

"ANYHOW, I'm leaving," Kamijou snapped, heading off. "Thanks for trying to help, in your twisted, idiot way."

"Hmpf." Miyagi threw the door closed after him, turning and heading to his sofa, plopping down and folding his arms. After a moment, Kamijou came back in.

"The buses and trains aren't running anymore… give me a ride."

"Oh, right..."

-.=.-.=.-

**AN: **Short chapter is short… sorry about that. OK, so Shinobu now knows what is inside the manila folder- but rather than divulging this seemingly interesting information, he's chosen to keep it to himself. Now it seems both Shinobu as well as I will watch this little farce play out. Hahahaha.

Reviews are appreciated- constructive and negative criticism are welcome. I prefer to grow as an author, not just sit on top of 1000 'good job!' reviews when I know there is room for me to blossom ::heart::


	5. Chapter 5

-.=.-.=.-

**Chapter 5**

-.=.-.=.-

Hiroki frowned, leaning against the door, forehead pressed against the glass, watching as small rain droplets hit the outside surface and drizzled down, gently at first, but as the rain grew heavier, the harder they hit the window, and the quicker they streamed down.

Miyagi glanced at him as he came to a red light. "Kamijou?"

"Mm," Hiroki replied absently.

"Something the matter? Dating women isn't all that bad."

"Shut up," Hiroki muttered. "I don't know exactly how this came to be… but it's all your fault, I'm sure."

Miyagi chuckled. "This date isn't what's bothering you, is it?"

"It's none of your business."

"Did your boyfriend not take the date thing very well?" Miyagi probed.

Sighing, Hiroki leaned back in his seat, reclining it a bit. "He didn't take me seriously at first but in the end, he seems indifferent about it. He's distracted."

"_He_'s distracted?" Miyagi smirked. "And whatever is distracting him, is that what's distracting you?"

"It's a very serious matter I don't particularly care to discuss with you."

"Oh. Well, maybe you want to walk home in the rain."

Hiroki glowered at him. "What? I'm not allowed to withhold personal information? Don't think you can always just bully people into divulging anything and everything!"

"Kamijou..."

"_What?_"

"What was your first impression of me when we first met?"

Hiroki flushed deeply, quickly averting his gaze. "We-well…"

Miyagi's original intention was to make a point, but this sudden reaction was far more interesting.

"Wh-what does _that_ have to do with anything?"

"Just answer the question." Miyagi hit the accelerator when the light turned green.

"Well, BEFORE I met you, I thought you must be some type of really amazing person! THEN when I got to know the REAL you, I realized you're just a lazy bastard!"

"You really think I'm lazy?" Miyagi arched a brow.

"YES! I know it!" Hiroki snapped.

"Then what in the hell makes you think I have the attention span or willingness to continue pressuring you into divulging anything?"

"HA-?"

"Maybe you shouldn't tell me. Maybe you should tell your boyfriend, or your friends, or maybe even your mom for all I care, but the point is, you won't! Not unless you're forced. You'll hold everything inside until you either explode or make some stupid decisions- typically the opposite of your true desires, so when I ask you and hint that I'll bully you otherwise; I'm not exerting any effort. I think what the real deal is… is that you actually WANT to talk to someone about half the things I 'bully you' into talking about, so when I throw key words like 'walk home' or 'do all my work for a week' or 'go home early' around, you're probably actually relieved because then you're obligated to tell someone what you WANT to tell someone in the first place. Now, that someone may not necessarily be me, but I'm thinking that if you were all that opposed to talking about your problems, you'd pretend like you were going to walk home, knowing I'm too kind to let you, and then I'd let it drop. Quit with the overly prideful act, I'm the damn boss, I am always right, I get to pay for our outings, and I get to tease you mercilessly in private so long as I never force you to lose face out in public!"

At the next red light, Miyagi glanced at Hiroki, wondering why he was being so silent.

His brow twitched when he realized the other man was just gawking at him angrily.

"So spill it. What's got your boyfriend distracted?"

Hiroki averted his gaze, and remained silent. "This time, it's really personal."

"I'll figure it out on my own then," Miyagi huffed, glaring at the red light. "He's a doctor-"

"Pediatrician."

"If you didn't want to talk about it, you would keep quiet."

"I don't want to talk about it!"

"Then you say that to throw me off."

"What?"

"Did a patient die?"

"It's no concern of yours!" Hiroki snapped.

"Was it someone close? If he works with kids, it must really be bothering him."

"I never affirmed nor denied anything!"

"You don't have to, you're easy to read. So is this the first patient he's lost?"

Hiroki frowned, glancing down at his hands. "It's the first he's mentioned. She wasn't his patient- well, she _was_ a year or so ago..."

"And?"

"She got pregnant, apparently. Was too young to give birth, and died. I don't know anything more than that. Happy?"

"Who in the hell would be happy after hearing about that?" Miyagi huffed, continuing down the road when the light changed.

"You're the one who kept insisting-"

"So you're worried about him," Miyagi noted.

"Up to now, his job has been… uh… _happy_. Very _happy_. He's always seemed happy- tired, sometimes. Exhausted, sometimes… but it's his dream job. So he seemed..." he trailed off.

"Does he want to quit, now?" Miyagi blinked.

"Beats me. We never see each other," Hiroki muttered. "Next time I see him, he'll probably be over it."

Miyagi frowned. "And _that's_ what's bugging you."

Hiroki blinked before frowning. "Don't take me home."

"Mm?" Miyagi blinked.

"Take me to the hospital."

Miyagi smirked. "I HELPED."

"JUST SHUT UP AND DRIVE." Hiroki folded his arms, annoyed. "FINE! I don't feel like developing an over dependency on you for any reason, so now you have to say something!"

"Your lucky item today is a rabbit's foot."

"WHAT?"

"You just said to say something."

"I MEANT DIVULGE ONE OF YOUR LIFE'S PROBLEMS!"

"Oh… I'm thinkin' of quitting smoking."

"You should."

"What a tremendous help! Thank you so much!"

"You're dating our boss' son… who, if I understand correctly, is your ex-wife's little brother… and your largest life problem is that you're thinking of quitting cigarettes?"

"No- well… yeah."

"Liar!" Hiroki snapped.

"Well that's not the type of thing I would talk to you about!"

"GOD, I wonder what's in that envelope." Hiroki's head sank suddenly and Miyagi smirked.

"It's really bugging me, too… why wouldn't the Dean discuss it with me?" Miyagi pondered.

"Why would he discuss it with YOU?" Kamijou's head snapped up.

"I'm your boss… if you went to him about a problem, I'd be insulted, the same goes for the other way around."

"Unless it's a personal issue… if it were about work, he would go through you, right?"

"Yes… so it's a private matter… Maybe he met someone who knows you- oh! Maybe he was one of your boyfriend's patients and he mentioned where he worked and your boyfriend said you were his wife!"

"For the LAST time, Nowaki is a PEDIATRICION! He deals with children! CHILDREN! The Dean would have no reason to go to him for anything!"

"Hmm…" Miyagi turned into the parking lot for the hospital. "Sure you don't want flowers or anything?"

"Wait here." Hiroki closed the door to the car and Miyagi huffed, watching as Hiroki popped open his umbrella and headed hurriedly toward the front doors.

-.=.-.=.-

**AN: **That's it for this chapter; the next will be a bit longer and focus on three settings: Risako and Shinobu have a conversation pertaining to the date, Hiroki confronts Nowaki inside the hospital, and Miyagi… sits in the car, bored.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: **Sorry for the short chapter last time- this one's a bit longer. Enjoy some more randomness.

I apologize in advance for a couple of humorous parts which utilize English plays on words… I understand that the characters are Japanese, so the same jokes couldn't technically be made in the manga or anime, (making this seem even less canon-like), but I simply couldn't resist.

-.=.-.=.-

**Chapter 6**

-.=.-.=.-

Risako glowered at her reflection. Not good, not good. Her curling iron had broken and only half of her hair had been properly curled… she could straighten it, but-

A knock sounded at her door, breaking her from her thoughts. Blinking, she headed toward it, opening it.

"Good evening, Wicked Witch of the West," Shinobu greeted in the same monotonous tone he always used when annoyed with his sister. "Why're you all made up? Just like all your boyfriends- bwahahaha." Even his mock-evil-laughter was monotonous.

Risako slammed the door in his face and turned, heading back into her bathroom.

Shinobu opened the door, annoyed, heading inside and plopping down on her couch. "I like your studio apartment… it's a bit cramped, but nice for one SINGLE person, I suppose."

Rolling her eyes, Risako came back out. "Did you bring it?"

"Oh." Shinobu reached into his backpack and produced a curling iron. "You owe me five thousand yen."

"This is probably worth about three thousand yen," Risako snapped.

"Delivery fees." Shinobu lay down on her couch. "I like your couch, where'd you get it?"

"From the couch factory," she replied, tearing open the package. "Help yourself to the contents of my fridge."

Shinobu got off of her couch and headed into the kitchen area, opening the fridge and blinking. "You have cabbage."

"What?" she called from the bathroom.

"I said you have cabbage!"

"Yes." She came back, waiting for the curling iron to heat up. "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing… but… what're you going to make with it?"

She eyed him, oddly. "If you want it… take it."

"I…" Shinobu averted his gaze. "There's this person I kind of want to impress. They like cabbage, so I thought I'd make them something good with cabbage in it and it came out pretty bad."

"Well, sometimes you just need a little practice." She shrugged.

"I've tried making it a hundred and sixty seven times."

"Or a lot of practice." Risako stood, closing the fridge and leaning against the wall, staring at her brother intently. "So, someone you're interested in, huh?"

"So?" he huffed.

"So much so that you've counted the number of times you've tried to make cabbage for them?"

"No, the number of times I've practiced, total."

"Who is it? Someone I know?"

"Who're YOU getting dolled up for?" Shinobu shot back.

"The difference here, dear little brother, is that you don't actually care, and I do." She smirked.

"Like I'd tell you, just so you can use it against me!"

"How can you say such a thing about your only sister? Well, it's good though. Yoh is going out with someone now, as you've explained, and I'm moving on, too. It's nice that you've finally joined in as well."

"So have you really moved on?" Shinobu asked.

Risako blinked before smiling, lightly. "Shinobu..."

"What?" he asked, caught off guard by her smile.

"That's the first time you've seemed concerned about me since my divorce. You never talk to me about it."

Shinobu felt instantly guilty. Of course he'd get annoyed at Risako when it came to her complaints about the man he loved… but had he been neglecting his duties as a brother? NO WAY! Brothers wouldn't usually sympathize with their older sisters anyway, right? What to do, now… what to do…?

"Well if you're moving on, I just find it odd that you're going on a date with his assistant."

Risako's smile faded and she blinked. "Did Yoh mention that?"

Shinobu sighed, moving back to her couch and sitting. "Yeah, he did."

Risako averted her gaze. "What'd he say about it?"

"Not much. I asked him how his day went when I saw him a while ago and he said it was interesting. I asked why and he said you were going on a date with his assistant."

Risako frowned. "Oh."

"You're not going out with him because you're interested in him, though, are you?" Shinobu frowned. "You're going out with Kamijou the Devil because you want to make Miyagi jealous."

Risako eyed her brother.

"It's not going to work. I don't want… I don't want you to get hurt," Shinobu sighed. "Miyagi is really in love with someone else."

"Why are you always with him?" Risako asked suddenly and Shinobu blinked. "Was it because you wanted to look out for me? When you came back, you avoided me. You acted like I was a walking plague. You expressed your shame for what I did over and over-"

"Well maybe ONE OF US should have shown a little shame, considering you cheated!"

"I didn't cheat on him!" Risako snapped. "I never had him to begin with! He always had HER."

"Well," Shinobu threw his arms into the air, annoyed, "he's over HER now, but that doesn't mean he's-"

"Shinobu," Risako interrupted with a sigh, wiping her eye and averting her annoyed gaze. "Don't think that just because you're this pure and innocent little kid that happened to grow older and trick his parents into paying for his apartment so he can live in secrecy on his own that that makes you an adult. There are so many- there… there're countless things you're still too childish to understand-!"

"I understand," Shinobu snapped. "I understand you knew he was in love with a dead woman from a photograph when you got married and that he understood you had another guy on the side, and that you both still did it. I wouldn't do that. If you ask me, that was stupidity on both your parts and you both did it- so how am I more childish than a so-called adult who thinks it's okay to marry someone or make that type of commitment when they know full-well that it's not going to work out-?"

"I didn't know it wouldn't work out. I hoped it would. I'm sure he did, too."

"Isn't that childish? Counting on hope or 'I wish this would happen,' rather than using your head? Miyagi always says I act on my emotions too much, but… but… I dunno!" He shrugged, annoyed. "Seems like a lot of people do that."

"Was this argument going anywhere?" she asked, annoyed, scratching the back of her half-curled and half-straight hair.

"Is it true?" Shinobu asked. "Are you going out with Kamijou to make Miyagi jealous?"

She blinked, frowning. "There're a lot of reasons. None of them are of any relevance to you."

"I _do_ care!"

"Do you want to know because you care about me and don't want me to get hurt? Or do you want to know because Yoh asked?"

Shinobu frowned, considering which answer to go with before averting his gaze. "There're a lot of reasons."

"Such as?" she snapped.

"You're old."

Her jaw dropped.

"Too old to be playing the field. You want a relationship and Kamijou's not going to want to go out with you."

"Why do you think that?"

"You're his boss' ex-wife. He doesn't know anything about your prior relationship," Shinobu snapped. "All he knows is you're his boss' ex-wife. There's no way…" Shinobu sighed. "You're just making things difficult on so many people if you go on that date."

"Actually, one of my reasons is that I want to help Kamijou," she sighed, turning back into her bathroom.

Shinobu's eyes narrowed. "So you know."

"Know what?" she snapped, checking to see if the iron had heated, properly.

"About the contents of the folder Dad had."

"Oh, that." She messed with her hair, a bit. "Yeah. I know all about that."

"Is that one of the reasons?"

"Yep," she replied, fixing her messed up eyeliner.

"Why?"

She finished and turned, annoyed. "Shinobu. What's with the Spanish Inquisition? Since when do you care so much about Yoh and Kamijou-sensei?"

"Dad's stressed. Miyagi and Kamijou are Dad's work." He shrugged. "I don't want him to kick it early."

"Fine, don't tell me," she huffed, turning and ushering him out of the apartment. "But that only means I'm under no obligation to tell YOU anything." That said, she handed him five thousand yen and closed the door.

Shinobu glanced over his shoulder. "It's raining. Can I have an umbrella?"

"Buy one with the extra two thousand yen."

-.=.-.=.-

"Pardon me, sir," a woman smiled to Hiroki when he passed her, "you look lost. Might I help?"

"Ah," Hiroki paused, "I'm looking for the pediatric division."

"Do you have a child with you?"

"Yeah, he's out in the car." Hiroki inwardly snickered. It was half-true.

"You left him in the car?" Her large brown eyes became even larger and Hiroki sighed.

"No, I'm just looking for a particular doctor," he replied. "A pediatrician in training."

"Oh, I'm a pediatrician in training," she smiled. "Maybe I know the guy you're looking for."

"His name's Kusama Nowaki."

"Oh yeah!" She snapped her fingers, happily. "Eeeveryone knows him! I can help you find him."

"That'd be great, thanks."

"Actually, I'm fairly certain you're supposed to be going home." Tsumori materialized behind the young woman who eeped, glancing over her shoulder nervously.

Feigning a phlegmatic temperament when he saw the blonde-headed bastard, Hiroki slid his hands into his pockets.

"It's only my third day straight," she huffed. "Even Nowaki puts in more hours than I do!"

"Nowaki isn't pregnant," Tsumori snapped. "Speaking of overly hormonal women, have you been properly introduced to Nowaki's Hiro-sa-?"

Hiroki cut the asshole off by grabbing his wrist and tearing him away.

"This person will help me, thank you and please rest- congratulations on the pregnancy!" Hiroki called to the woman who blinked before turning, heading off (1)

As soon as the two rounded the corner, Hiroki threw Tsumori against the wall, fuming.

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM, ASSHOLE?"

"Aren't you prohibited from this area of the facility because of that time you hit me?"

"Eh?" Hiroki pulled away as though Tsumori were the plague itself.

"You're looking for Nowaki, right?" Tsumori frowned. "Why?"

"I just have to deliver a message to him! What business is it of yours?" Hiroki snapped.

Tsumori shrugged. "I'll send him to meet you in the cafeteria."

"Oh…? Thanks." Hiroki blinked, caught off guard by the bastard's kindness.

"Since you're allowed down there."

Hiroki's eye twitched. "Third floor, right?"

"Actually, there's an overnight café located on the ground floor. I'll send him there."

Still perturbed, Hiroki headed toward the elevators.

-.=.-.=.-

"How long is he supposed to take, anyway?" Miyagi muttered to himself, leaning on his steering wheel, annoyed.

Bzzz…

Bzzzz…

Glancing to his left, he noticed Hiroki's cell phone buzzing.

Bzzz…

Bzzzz…

"Four," he muttered tiredly as he rested his forehead against the wheel.

Bzzz…

Bzzzt…

"Six..." His eyelids were getting droopy as a bolt of lightning raced across the sky, followed by a rather loud boom.

Bzzzt…

Bzzz…

Bzzzzt…

"Eight… Nine..."

-.=.-.=.-

"Where the hell is my cell phone?" Hiroki muttered, feeling for it in both pockets.

"Hiro-san?"

He glanced over his shoulder, a tad startled. He'd only been waiting in the café for about fifteen minutes, now.

"Hiro-san, what're you doing here?"

"Didn't your idiot sempai tell you I was here, waiting?" Hiroki snapped.

"No." Nowaki blinked. "He just told me to take a break… and I was going to, but then I… well, suffice to say I got sidetracked." He sat down, happily. "What brings you here, Hiro-san?"

"That's all he said is to take a break? He didn't send you here?"

"He asked me to get him something from a machine that's only located in this café." Nowaki smiled. "Sempai is so kind sometimes!"

"Yeah, whatever."

"So why are you here, Hiro-san?" Nowaki asked, happiness radiating from the pediatrician's aura.

"I wanted to talk to you," Hiroki mumbled.

"Is something the matter?" Nowaki frowned, leaning forward. "Did something happen?"

"Not really… nothing on my end, except for the whole date thing."

"Oh, that." Nowaki frowned. "Don't worry about it. I understand business obligations and I understand that not everyone is as open-minded as sempai-"

"What do you mean 'open-minded?'" Hiroki huffed.

"I mean that it's hard if your boss isn't particularly open-minded."

"Ah- well, I actually don't know how my boss feels about that type of thing… but since it's his daughter… I don't know… anyway, I didn't come to discuss this."

"What did you come to discuss?" Nowaki frowned nervously. Hiroki had rarely, if ever, just 'stopped by' the hospital. It was typically to bring Nowaki something he'd forgotten or to pick him up when he was exhausted, or if he happened to be by for a physical or something of that sort.

So that he was here, now, and wanted to 'discuss' something was nerve wracking.

"That girl you mentioned… the one who died giving birth-?"

Nowaki's expression went even grimmer. "Ami-chan?"

"Ami?" Hiroki looked up at Nowaki, frowning. "You were deeply bothered by it. I could tell."

"Yes," Nowaki replied softly, eyes lowering to the table.

Hiroki couldn't stand to see his lover looking so sad, like he'd lost something special to him… the girl had been his first patient, even if he hadn't seen her more than once, she must have been a bit special and memorable to him. Also, his lover had never mentioned losing a patient before.

"I just thought… she might have been the first patient death you've had to deal with."

"Yes," Nowaki replied again, looking for something in Hiroki's eyes- probably trying to understand why the man was here and why the hell he was bringing this up.

"Because you've never really dealt with this type of thing before… so- err… to go through something like that, alone… it must be really hard. So I feel guilty, being wrapped up in my own personal issues… and because of our work schedules- yours, in particular, to be fair, well… I'm worried… about you..."

Nowaki smiled.

It was a happy smile, but it was a very sad smile, too. It wasn't forced; it came naturally, but because Nowaki was both sad as well as touched and happy by his lover's concern, the smile came out very hard to read.

Luckily, Hiroki knew Nowaki very well, and loved him very much. He lowered his saddened gaze.

"I'm sorry I can't be here for you- helping you through it, or… listening to you. I told you before, not to let things get bottled up. I think, based on the fact that this is your first experience like this, your sempai would probably let you go home if you asked but… but you… I get the feeling you're working through it intentionally. Maybe trying to force yourself to go a long time without thinking about it, so that by the time you let yourself stop and breathe and think about it, you think you'll be over it… but you won't be. You'll only have bottled it up and then you'll have also made yourself feel guiltier about not mourning properly to begin with. That's… those're my thoughts, anyway."

All traces of a smile left as Nowaki stared at his lover, incredulously.

"Am I right?" Hiroki whispered, not looking at Nowaki. He couldn't bear to look at the man after saying those things. "If I'm not right, I'll be glad… but I think it's true."

Nowaki sighed, averting his gaze. "No, Hiro-san. You _are_ right," Nowaki mumbled softly.

"I'm… sorry. I'm sorry you lost someone like that. I'm sorry about whatever happened to her that led to what happened. I'm sorry I can't be there with you to help you through it, but… even though we're both working… I want you to… talk to me. Okay?"

Nowaki smiled. There were no traces of sadness in this smile. "Hiro-san?"

Hiroki lifted his gaze.

"Thank you."

Hiroki sighed. "Please, just tell me you won't ever think you can't talk to me about something- anything."

"I promise." Nowaki smiled. "You, too, Hiro-san?"

"I promise." Hiroki's gaze slid to the side and Nowaki huffed.

"Don't lie when telling a promise!"

"I'm not… someone else accused me of the same thing… bottling things up… so let's both agree not to do it when it comes to important things."

"Yes." Nowaki smiled, placing a hand over Hiroki's.

"So? When did this girl become your patient?" Hiroki asked.

-.=.-.=.-

_Bzzz…_

_ Bzzzt…_

"Hundred thirty two..." Miyagi had reclined all the way in his seat.

_Bleedooo_…

Blinking, he sat up, grabbing his own cell. "Hello?"

_ "Miyagi, it's me..."_

"Shinobu-chin? You okay?" He sat up straight.

_ "I have a pulse so no complaints… where are you?"_

"You have a pulse? What the hell is that supposed to mean? You sound like your voice is shaking."

_ "My everything is shaking- I'm freezing and wet. Can you pick me up?"_

"Uuuh…" Miyagi dug about in his pockets for his keys. "Yeah… Where did you say you were?"

_ "Used book store."_

"Yeah, I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

_ "Where are you?"_

"A parking lot."

_ "Which one?"_

"To a hospital, turning around to go pick you up."

_ "Oh- thank you."_

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes, are you standing outside?"

_ "Yes, they won't let me in because I'm sopping wet."_

"Why in the hell wouldn't you have an umbrella?" Miyagi snapped, shrugging to hold the phone to his ear so he could turn properly with both hands. He then zipped down the road.

_ "I had some money to use to buy one, but I was hungry so I bought food, instead. What's that buzzing sound?" Shinobu demanded._

"A friend left his cell phone in my car- it's on like a hundred sixty now… why would you choose food over an umbrella?"

_ "The weatherman didn't say it was going to rain, he said it was going to be nice! …And I was hungry."_

"Weathermen lie! If you'd look up at the sky you'd see it was cloudy all day!"

_ "Forgive me for placing my faith in someone who gets paid a lot of money to predict the weather!"_

"It's not that much, actually. I was looking it up in the newspaper the other day-"

_ "Let me off the phone so you can focus on the road," _Shinobu snapped.

"No, wait!"

_ "What?"_ Shinobu snapped.

"Just keep talking to me."

Shinobu flushed from head to toe- Miyagi could almost HEAR it through the phone. _"IDIOT OLD MAN! IF YOU HURRY, I WON'T DIE, FIRST!"_

"Yeah, yeah," Miyagi huffed, hanging up after Shinobu had.

_ Bzzzt…_

"Hundred seventy three."

**AN: **Thank you for reading- please don't forget to review, or if you wish to discuss, you can head on over to my livejournal.

Next chapter should be posted on July 15, 2009. The next will contain the actual date and will be posted on July 30, 2009.

(1) This is the nurse that Nowaki waves hello to in volume 4, Egoist act 9. First random character thrown into the mix- bwahahaha. Why do I do these silly things? There's always people that like a certain character in a series that's never mentioned again in the manga or written about—so I wanted to make sure I don't leave out any fans :P also I like random challenges… sometimes.


	7. Chapter 7

-.=.-.=.-

**Chapter 7**

-.=.-.=.-

Shinobu involuntarily shuddered as he bounced a bit, trying to keep warm.

"You seem to be refraining from shivering."

"Mm?" He glanced over his shoulder at a man who was checking his watch.

"I said it looks like you're trying to keep yourself from shivering," the man repeated.

"So?" Shinobu asked, blinking.

"You know shivering is your body's way of trying to keep you warm. And bouncing looks far more ridiculous than shivering." The man smiled.

"Oh?" Shinobu huffed, still bouncing. "You look familiar."

The man popped open an extra umbrella and handed it to Shinobu. "I don't think you'd remember me if I told you where we'd met."

"Why not?" Shinobu asked, hesitantly taking the umbrella.

"You said something relatively harsh to me about three or four years ago," the man replied. "And then when I got pissed off, some suit came along and stopped me from roughing you up. He was going to call the police, so we ditched."

For a moment, Shinobu just stared at him, and then it dawned on him that this was one of the thugs who'd been trying to steal money from him the day he'd officially been introduced to Miyagi.

"N-no way?" He gawked. "I remember you!"

"I should apologize," the man stated, smiling. "That was pretty lame. Anyway, I've grown a lot since then… when I saw the shop manager refusing to let you enter since you were wet, I recognized you immediately and figured I should apologize, properly."

"I'm surprised you remembered."

"You did."

"That man and I are… close," Shinobu stated. "It was our first official meeting, that's why I remember it."

"Is that so?" The man laughed. "Well, I'll tell Honda-kun you send him your regards. He's a fairly decent guy, now, too. Well, take care of yourself- what did you say your name was?"

"Takatsuki Shinobu," Shinobu muttered.

"Saitou Jin," the man handed over a business card with a friendly smirk. "Well, keep warm. Even if it means bouncing," he teased, heading off.

"Uh, sure." Shinobu watched, still somewhat in shock.

"Shinobu!" Miyagi pulled up beside him. "Get in."

He shoved Kamijou's stuff to the floor or threw it into the back.

Shinobu blinked. "But I'm soaking, and you just got it re-upholstered."

"Get in."

Shinobu blushed a bit, climbing in and closing the umbrella, then the door.

"What the hell?" Miyagi brushed his fingers roughly through Shinobu's bangs, then shoved his hand down the teen's pants.

"Guaah!" Shinobu yelped, grabbing Miyagi's wrist. "Wh-what're you-?"

"You're soaked to your underpants! How long were you out there?" Miyagi snapped.

"Uuuh…?"

"'Uuuh…?' isn't an acceptable answer!" Miyagi pulled his hand out and placed it on Shinobu's forehead. "You're burning up!"

"I didn't- uuh-" Shinobu blinked as Miyagi turned, driving toward their apartments. Shinobu felt his forehead, blushing a bit. "Miyagi? Are you... mad at me?"

"Where were you this late at night, anyway?"

"Risako's."

Miyagi blinked, glancing at him. "Why?"

"I was at the store and she asked me to pick her up a curling iron and I haven't been to her new place yet, so I thought I'd visit a bit and try to encourage her not to go out with Kamijou-"

"Why? Why do you have to act more suspicious than is necessary?" Miyagi sighed. "You know what? I don't even care about that! Why would you be out in the rain for long enough to get soaked to the bone and not call me?"

Shinobu lowered his gaze. "I didn't think you'd come since I wouldn't tell you what was in the folder."

"About that, spill it or you walk."

"Miyagi!"

"Seriously, though." Miyagi stopped at a red light and pulled off his sport coat. "Take off your shirt and put that on."

Shinobu watched his lover while unbuttoning his shirt. "Miyagi?"

"What?"

"You're…?"

"Worried about you- don't act so surprised about it!" Miyagi snapped, making the mistake of glancing at his lover's adorably wide-eyed blushing face. "Git-!" He quickly shifted his gaze to the road. "And buckle up!"

Shinobu huffed, peeling off his wet shirt and stuffing it down the side of the door before pulling on Miyagi's warm jacket. Miyagi turned the heater on full blast and Shinobu smiled, despite the situation.

Miyagi sighed, running a hand back through his own bangs as he drove. "I can't believe you."

Shinobu smiled, still pleased with the outcome. "If you really can't believe it, you can check again."

"Check what?" Miyagi snapped, without thinking.

"How soaked I am."

Miyagi eyed him, then, noticing the small smile tugging at Shinobu's lips, he realized what the teen was referring to. "Ugh… haha." He shook his head and Shinobu leaned against him.

"Miyagi…?"

"What?"

"Thank you for coming to my rescue… again."

"Such a girl line… what do you mean 'again,' anyway?"

"Remember when we first officially met?"

"At the Peacock room?"

"We met before that."

"Oh, yeah- on the street."

"Yeah." Shinobu smiled. "One of the guys who was picking on me- I just saw him, again."

"No shit?" Miyagi blinked. "And? What'd he do?"

"Apologized and gave me this umbrella." Shinobu gestured.

Miyagi sighed. "Next time, call before your tighty whities get wet."

"Thank you for coming without hesitation," Shinobu mumbled softly.

"Just returning the favor."

"ASSHOLE."

-.=.-.=.-

"Thank you for coming tonight, Hiro-san." Nowaki smiled. "My break is over now. It's been a whole hour since we started talking like this. It's very nice."

"Yeah," Hiroki admitted, smiling lightly.

"Maybe next time I have some time off earlier in the day- or toward mid-day, I suppose, I could come and visit your work and share lunch with you."

Hiroki nodded, still smiling a bit. "Sure."

"By the way, how are you getting home?"

"Mm? AH-!" Hiroki's jaw dropped and he gripped at the sides of his head, fearfully. "I left him out there!"

"Him?" Nowaki blinked.

"My ride… he was giving me a ride home and I had him come here because I realized how much I wanted to talk to you and now he's been out there for an hour and a half! I-I'll see you when I get home!"

"Hiro-san?"

"Mm?" Hiroki looked up after feeling about for his cell and he blinked when Nowaki pecked him gently on the lips.

"Thanks again, for coming to see me."

Hiroki frowned, annoyed. "Idiot, just because there's no one around doesn't mean there're no cameras!"

"Of course, Hiro-san." Nowaki smiled. "But the camera is facing away right now. Take care. Let me know if you have any problems getting home safely."

"I'll be fine." Hiroki stood, heading out. He stopped in the entrance, listening as Nowaki pushed their chairs in behind him. "Nowaki?"

"Mm?" Nowaki glanced up.

"I… ah-!"

Nowaki smiled happily. "I love you, too, Hiro-san."

"-Love you- yeah." Hiroki hurried out and Nowaki sighed, picking up his pager, which had just gone off. "Hiro-san, wait!"

"Mm?" Hiroki jogged backward and peeked into the room.

"I've just been asked to go home." Nowaki scratched the back of his head, annoyed. "Seems I've exceeded my break time by one minute and am being sent home as punishment."

Hiroki frowned. Maybe that blonde-haired idiot wasn't so bad, after all.

-.=.-.=.-

Once inside Miyagi's apartment, Shinobu tugged off his belt. Miyagi slid his hands down Shinobu's waist and down his hips, taking the teen's pants with them as his tongue invaded his lover's mouth.

Wet smacking sounds filled the room along with an obnoxious never-ending buzzing sound.

"Mnch… Miyagi! That phone is pissing me off!" Shinobu snapped.

"It's not mine, it's… oh, shit," Miyagi grunted, pushing Shinobu away a bit. "I forgot. Ugh."

"Forgot what?" Shinobu asked.

Miyagi sighed. "Nothing. He'll call if he needs a ride."

"He?"

"I meant to give Kamijou a ride home about an hour and a half ago. He had me take him to the hospital, instead. I dropped him off there and was supposed to wait for him but he left his cell with me- still, the hospital has a phone."

"Who keeps calling, anyway?" Shinobu grabbed the phone up, eying the caller ID and flipping it open. "Hello?"

Miyagi gawked. "Shinobu!"

"This is Kamijou's friend Takatsuki, he left his phone with me and I've yet to return it… he's doing fine. Sure, I can talk."

Miyagi's brow twitched.

"We're about to go get him, now."

-.=.-.=.-

"THAT BASTARD!" Hiroki fumed, standing in the space Miyagi's car had been occupying, earlier. "He ran off with my stuff and without leaving me a message!"

"How could he, if he has your cell?" Nowaki frowned, holding his umbrella over his lover's head. "Shall I call a cab?"

"Call_ him!"_

Nowaki pulled out his cell and called Hiroki's number.

_ "Hello?"_

"Hello, my name is Kusama Nowaki… who might you be?"

_ "My name is Takatsuki Shinobu, I have Kamijou Hiroki's phone, but we're on our way to go get him right now, if you'd like, I can pass along a message, but right now, I'm on the other line."_

"With who?"

_ "His mother."_

"You're talking to Hiro-san's mother?"

_ "Yes, she won't let me off the phone."_

"Oh. Tell her Nowaki says hello and could you please come pick us up at the hospital?"

_ "Yeah, we'll be there, shortly."_

Nowaki blinked when the call was disconnected.

"That bastard is talking to my mother?" Hiroki exploded.

"Actually, it wasn't the university professor who teases you all the time, it was… Takatsuki Shinobu-kun."

"That explains why the bastard up and left. The kid didn't look like he had an umbrella with him when he headed out, earlier."

-.=.-.=.-

"Actually, he lives next door," Miyagi explained later, when all four men were riding in the car, headed for Hiroki and Nowaki's.

"Is that so?" Hiroki's brow twitched.

"I don't think so, I like plums very much." Shinobu was still talking to Hiroki's mother on the phone.

"Yes, but evidently he went out and ventured too far, so when it began raining, he was caught in it." Miyagi explained.

"I also enjoy apricots." Shinobu added.

"I can't believe he lives right next door… do his parents know?" Hiroki demanded.

"I assume not." Miyagi shrugged.

"Peaches are also nice."

"Is he still talking to Hiro-san's mother?" Nowaki pointed at Shinobu.

"It's fine, so long as I don't have to talk to her," Hiroki huffed.

"Ah- it seems your son would like very much to speak with you."

"Aheh." Nowaki swallowed nervously at the glower both uke shared as Shinobu handed the cell to Hiroki.

"Hello, Mother. Talk to Nowaki." Hiroki handed the phone to Nowaki.

"Hello Kamijou-mama!" Nowaki greeted, happily. "Oh. Work is… how are you?"

Hiroki frowned and Miyagi smirked.

"Get out what ya had to get out?"

"Shut up! Your good deed was negated by the fact that you abandoned me! AND I still have to go on that ridiculous date on Sunday!"

_ "DATE? WITH A WOMAN? PUT HIM ON!"_

Hiroki grunted as Nowaki handed the phone back.

"Kshshshshshhhhtt, bad reception ksksshhshhhhht, call you later, I kshshshht love you, bye." Hiroki hung up.

"Nice!" Miyagi mock-praised.

"Shut up!"

"Oh, about that date," Shinobu started, then thought about it and huffed. "Actually, I still want to see how things play out."

"WHAT THE HELL?" Hiroki snapped.

"When is the date, Hiro-san?" Nowaki blinked.

"SUNDAY," Hiroki snapped, folding his arms. "I can HARDLY wait."

"Ah, just be yourself," Shinobu muttered.

"Brat!"

-.=.-.=.-

**AN: **The date is in the next chapter… it may end up being the longest chapter so far.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: **This is the date chapter. It was supposed to be worse than it turned out… it's kind of nice, actually XD You also find out what's inside the manila folder. :3

-.=.-.=.-

**Chapter 8**

-.=.-.=.-

"Hiro-san… isn't your date tonight?"

Hiroki opened his eyes to see two large blue orbs staring down at him.

"If you have no intentions of kissing me, your face is way too close." Hiroki muttered, tiredly.

"Would you like a kiss, Hiro-san?" Nowaki perked.

"GET AWAY!" Hiroki pushed him away, annoyed, scratching his head. "What time is it?"

"I woke you a bit early-"

Hiroki went back to sleep, tugging the covers over his head.

"-since I'm about to head out…"

Annoyed, Hiroki sat back up, tugging the blanket off of his head. Groggily, he eyed the taller man. "Alright… did you prepare breakfast?"

"Yes." Nowaki smiled. "About tonight, Hiro-san… if you need any help, feel free to call me."

"Help?" Hiroki grumbled, climbing out of bed and crumpling to the floor like a rag doll.

"Hiro-san, are you alright?" Nowaki knelt down.

"Pain…"

"Hmm…" Nowaki frowned. "Sorry, Hiro-san. If I was being too rough with you last night, you should have said something."

"Mpf." Hiroki grumbled, sitting up, again. "You didn't leave any marks, did you?"

"Not anywhere this Takatsuki-san should be able to see…" Nowaki mumbled.

"Last night… how many times did we do it?"

"Fourteen."

"FOURTEEN?"

"Just teasing." Nowaki smiled.

"…Feels like it…" Hiroki sighed, lying down. "…Nowaki?"

Nowaki smiled. "Yes?"

"…Are you alright with it?"

"…Yes, Hiro-san…" Nowaki smiled. "…You said it was obligatory, so of course there's no problem… but… don't try too hard to turn her off, or it will be apparent."

"I know… Nowaki, have you ever been on a date with a woman?"

"Not really," Nowaki admitted. "But I've seen them on TV."

Hiroki snorted. "Yes, thanks. What time do you get off tonight?"

"I'll be home tomorrow morning." Nowaki grabbed a light jacket.

"Alright, have a good day at work- take care of yourself and do your best."

"You, too, Hiro-san. Do your… best at doing your… worst." He looked confused about his own encouragement for a moment before shaking it off. "Well, try to have some fun."

"Yeah," Hiroki sighed. "Thanks."

Nowaki leaned down, kissing Hiroki's cheek gently. "And about the other day, thank you for coming to see me. It meant a lot to me."

Hiroki's cheeks burned crimson. "You're going to be late."

-.=.-.=.-

Half a day later, he stood in front of his mirror, straightening his tie and combing his hair back.

A knock sounded at his door and he glanced at his watch, confused as to who it could possibly be. He glanced over at his cell, which had been ringing relentlessly all morning. It was still Akihiko, as it had been every day for the past few days, and, as he had over the past few days, he continued ignoring it.

Sighing, he headed to the door. "Professor, I don't need any more of your stupid suggestions, I know how to act on a date with a woma-!" He reached for the door but whoever had arrived opened it on their own. His jaw dropped.

"Date with a woman?" Usami blinked.

Hiroki slammed the door closed but Usami had stuck his foot between the door and the doorframe.

"Hiroki, what's this about a date with a woman?" Usami arched a brow. "Aren't you still with that younger-"

Hiroki leaned against the door and pushed with all his might.

"-guy who I'm pretty sure I saw you with just the other day? Or is this some new whim of yours? You've never been the type to just- my foot hurts."

"THEN MOVE IT!"

"Let me inside. I was worried since you hadn't been answering my calls."

"Don't you simply want me to go over your stupid smut novels?"

"Yes."

"FORGET IT! I have way too much on my plate right now!"

"Perfect, that'll give me inspiration."

"I don't want to be your inspiration! You just want to humiliate me!" Hiroki fumed.

"That's not my intent- I intend to exploit you for the sake of the fans- consider it a sacrifice to millions of people."

"WHAT MILLIONS?" Hiroki snapped. "There aren't a million perverts out there!"

"What do you know about how many people approve of my unique literature?"

"If that many people like it, why don't you slap your real name on the cover of one of them, huh? JEEZ!" Hiroki pulled away and Usami let himself in, eying the man up and down.

Hiroki glowered.

"You clean up real nice, Hiroki," the taller man observed, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"Sorry you wasted your time- I'm busy, please leave."

"You're seriously not going to tell me about whatever's going on? This is huge," Usami huffed.

"Huger than you think," Hiroki muttered. "But it has nothing to do with you."

"Do tell me." Usami materialized on Hiroki's couch, making himself quite comfortable.

"Why don't you tell me about that roommate of yours?" Hiroki snapped.

Usami shrugged, knowing exactly what to say to get his friend to lose interest in the subject. "He's not particularly interesting or intelligent, what did you want to know about him?"

"Neither was Takahiro, but you never shut up about him."

"I barely discuss Takahiro-related subjects with you anymore."

"No, not since you started boning his kid brother."

Usami's eyes narrowed. How did Hiroki know about that?

"Don't act so surprised, I consider it an insult. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together. Ever since you met that boring four-eyed idiot, it's always been 'Takahiro' this and 'Takahiro' that, and the last time I heard you say his name in that dopey lovey-lovey voice, it was some garbage about getting ready to have to tutor his idiot brother."

Usami huffed, folding his arms.

"Takahiro was your heart and your life and you dropped him for his kid brother and never talk to ME about it, so why should I bother telling you about something as trivial as an obligatory business-related date with some woman you don't even know? Get lost," Hiroki snapped, fixing his tie.  
"What's with that tie?" Usami frowned. "Are you trying to sabotage your own date?"

"Of course I am!" Hiroki snapped. "It's an obligatory business thing- nothing more than that!"

"I thought you worked primarily with men?"

"I do." Hiroki averted his gaze. "It's my boss' daughter."

"He doesn't seem old enough."

"What? He's like fifty or sixty, I'm sure."

"He sure didn't look that old when I met him. He seemed like he was in his late twenties or early thirties."

"No, not professor Miyagi! Although I'll have to tell him about that late-twenties comment… I meant the chairman's daughter- the chairman! You've met him."

"I don't think so… pretty?"

"What did you call me?"

"His daughter. The chairman's daughter. Is she pretty?"

"Ah- I guess."

"Nice body?"

"I guess?"

"Hmm… why does she want to go out with you, I wonder…?" Usami contemplated and Hiroki growled. He should have known his bastard of a childhood friend was simply setting him up for a joke.

"Come on," Usami sighed. "If it's too apparent, that would be bad for your job, right?" He tugged the tie off and Hiroki's eyes narrowed.

"Akihiko!"

"Take this shirt off, too." Usami began unbuttoning Hiroki's shirt.

"Kamijou, I found out what's in the envelo- oh?" Miyagi entered through the opened door and froze solid at what he saw.

"HEY! WHY DOESN'T ANYONE KNOCK ANYMORE?" Hiroki glowered at his superior. "Don't pick up habits from that brat, professor!"

Usami glanced over at the man once and then turned his attention back to Hiroki. "I knocked." He continued unbuttoning the smaller man's shirt.

"Stop!" Hiroki flushed, grabbing Usami's hands and tilting his head to the door, where his superior stood, silently staring.

"He's your boss, right?" Usami huffed. "What's he doing coming over unannounced like you don't belong to someone?"

"I don't BELONG to anyone, thank you very much!" Hiroki snapped. "Professor, you said you found out what's inside the envelope?"

"Uh…" Miyagi eyed Usami and then looked away. "We can discuss it at work, tomorrow. Pardon the intrusion." He let himself out and Hiroki blinked.

"Now then, a plain white shirt will convey a boring personality- when you're trying to sabotage a date without it being apparent, or when you're trying to land a job, it's best to aim for 'average' and 'boring.' Nothing turns women off more than mediocrity, you know."

"Yeah, go through my stuff, I'll be right back," Hiroki snapped, heading out the door and looking around. He spotted Miyagi rounding the corner at the end of the hall and he chased after him, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Usami wasn't following him. He turned back forward just as he rounded the corner, bumping right into Miyagi.

"Gah!" Miyagi stumbled forward and turned, annoyed. "Kamijou-!"

"Sorry- I wasn't paying attention," Hiroki muttered, buttoning his shirt back up. "What's with you? You took one look at Akihiko and high-tailed it out of there."

"It's nothing." Miyagi continued down the hall and hit the down button next to the elevator door.

"What was in the envelope? Akihiko's in the room if he was the reason you wouldn't tell me."

"No, I was just startled," Miyagi muttered, getting on the elevator when it opened. Hiroki followed, waiting for the doors to close.

"Well? What was it? The envelope-?"

"That man was Usami Akihiko, right?" Miyagi asked, suddenly.

"Huh? Yeah." Hiroki blinked. "You've met him, right? At the univ-"

"Don't let him come around the university anymore," Miyagi ordered and Hiroki blinked.

"What're you talking about? He almost never comes by, besides-"

"Did you sleep with him?"

Hiroki's eyes widened and his face went pink with anger and embarrassment. "Wh-what?"

"Did you, or didn't you?" Miyagi asked.

"What the HELL, Professor? If this is- you've gotta be kidding me! You just walked in when he was trying to help me change- just like your kid lover did when you were helping me! You're reading too much into it!"

Miyagi calmed down a bit. "Is that so?"

"Yes. That's exactly! Besides, what business is my personal life to you?" Hiroki snapped.

"Because I just can't stand cheaters," Miyagi muttered. The elevator dinged and he stepped off. "Head back up to your friend."

"Professor?" Hiroki started, but Miyagi glanced over with a small smile. "Sorry. As usual, I overreacted."

Hiroki blinked as the doors closed, separating the two. He stood there for a moment before sighing, reaching for the button to his floor, but the door dinged again and opened.

Miyagi blinked. "Hmm… well that was anticlimactic."

Hiroki's brow twitched as his gaze shifted from right to left. "Well… I didn't push anything… and there's no one out there, so you must have pushed the 'up' button."

"Thought it would send you up, all dramatically."

"You know how elevators work…" Hiroki rubbed his temples, annoyed.

Miyagi grinned. "Alright, you got me. I felt bad, thinking I was leaving you with weird, sad, mixed feelings right before your important date."

"You're an idiot," Hiroki grumbled, stepping out. 'But I almost- aaalmoost think you might be a kind person,' he thought before gawking when he saw Risako entering through the front doors. "CRAP! HERE!" He shoved Miyagi onto the elevator, hit a random button and stepped off, letting the doors close on the buffoon as the younger man hurried off to intercept her.

"Takatsuki-san! How are you? Were we meeting here?"

"Slight change in plans," she stated, digging through her purse for something. "I decided to stop by your place first. I hope you don't mind."

"How did you know where I…?"

"My father gave me directions."

'How in the fuck does HE know where I live?' Hiroki thought, annoyed. 'I just moved!'

"May I come up for a bit?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah, okay. I need to grab my wallet and cell phone, anyway. Are we no longer going to that restaurant?"

"We are." She smiled. "Sorry, I thought heading here after work would be easier on me, so I don't have to go all the way to my place and then out. I twisted my ankle at work today-"

"Twisted it?" Hiroki blinked, kneeling down. "Mind if I take a look? Looks like it's bruised- have you seen anyone with a medical background, yet?"

"It's fine- just stretched the Achilles tendon and landed on it wrong."

"That sounds like it hurts like hell. It doesn't hurt to walk?"

"It's annoying, but it's alright. Thank you for your concern." She smiled.

"Have you put ice on it? It looks swollen."

"What're you implying? It looks fine- I bought these." She raised a bag with a box inside.

"What is it?"

"Boots."

"Ugh." Hiroki rubbed his temples, annoyed. This woman was roughly his age- possibly a tad older, and yet she was every bit as superficial as his female students who were all young adults and teenagers. At least she seemed like it.

He pushed the up button on the elevator and sighed with relief when the doors opened to reveal two young children and their mother. They got off and Hiroki and Risako boarded, heading up to his floor.

'Akihiko, if you have psychic powers, please hide somewhere or be gone! Professor Miyagi, if you have psychic powers, please hide somewhere or be gone!'

Once they reached his floor, they headed to his apartment. Nervously, he pretended to open the door with his key before opening the door slightly, glancing around. No sign of anyone...

Sighing with relief, he entered and gestured to the couch. "Go ahead and sit down. Want me to grab some frozen vegetables for your foot?"

"It's fine," she replied from the doorway, setting her new boots outside so that she could step inside them with ease once it was time to leave.

"There's a restaurant right around the corner that's killer. Why don't we eat there, instead?"

"Oh, that sounds perfect," she said, happily sinking into the couch when she sat. Hiroki glanced at her worriedly before turning and gawking as he passed his kitchen island, noticing Miyagi and Usami crouching behind it, hiding- each man's arms tucked around their folded knees.

Trying not to draw too much attention to himself, Hiroki drew the refrigerator door open and glanced over his shoulder at Risako, who he could see in the living room, eying her ankle and inspecting it, annoyed.

He then glowered at the other two. "This is the best hiding place you two could find?" he whispered.

"Shhh." Usami teased, raising a finger to his lips.

Miyagi frowned. "What's wrong with her leg? Did you kick her?"

"Hiroki, I told you if it was too apparent that you were sabotaging your own date-!"

"Sssshhhush!" Hiroki whispered, glancing at Risako. "Apparently she twisted her ankle at work, why in the hell wouldn't she cancel? Whatever, you two STAY here and DO NOT MOVE."

Usami huffed, annoyed.

"Hey, how about we stay here and reschedule the official date until your leg gets a bit better?"

"Ah- that's alright," she sighed. "I already said it's okay."

"Hiroki, the more you feign concern, the more she'll fall in love," Usami whispered.

Hiroki glowered at him. "I'm not FEIGNING CONCERN! HER ANKLE HAS A GOITER ON IT!"

"Excuse me?" Risako looked up, annoyed.

"Ah-! I said… uh… you should really put some ice on that!"

"I said it's not a big deal!"

"A beer?"

"I suppose you're right."

Smirking, Hiroki pulled two beers from the fridge and headed over, handing her one and sitting. He sighed with relief when, after opening the beer and taking a swig, she actually pressed the bottle to her foot.

"So," she sighed. "That shirt. What is with that shirt?"

"I was still trying to figure out what to wear and you popped up out of nowhere," he huffed.

"Well, you were on the bottom floor." She blinked.

"About that, I-"

"It's alright… we weren't supposed to meet up for another hour anyway." She waved the matter away.

Hiroki quickly sipped from his drink. "Want me to call you a taxi?"

"You don't date much, do you? Most men would be delighted to have the woman in their home so soon."

"I'm not exactly like most men," Hiroki grumbled. He wanted her out- hell, having HER here wasn't half as bad as the fact that Miyagi and Usami were both listening in and probably mocking him.

"Traditional then?" She smirked, folding one leg over the other.

Hiroki sighed. "Why are you suddenly interested in me? Do you just like professors? Somehow, I don't feel like I'm your type."

"You invited me up, expressed concern over my trivial little bruise-"

"That thing's a goiter."

She laughed softly. "You do realize goiters form on the neck."

"Yeah, now that you mention it, the pictures in Nowaki's book were of necks."

"Nowaki?"

"Uh-" Hiroki flinched and laughed softly. "So, uh… anyway, I still feel like- err- as far as your type-?"

"What do you know about me that you base my 'type' on?" She smirked.

Miyagi, who was listening in, slapped his palm quietly to his forehead as Usami scribbled down notes for his novel.

"I mean the Professor and I are really nothing alike- I mean other than our shared love for literature… do you like literature?"

"I hate it." She smiled and he gawked.

"How can you hate it?"

"My father always shoved it down my throat, and when we were married, it was the only thing Miyagi ever spoke passionately about."

"That so?" Hiroki stroked his chin, interested. Maybe he could get some sweet blackmail out of her about Miyagi. "The only passionate thing he spoke of, you say?"

"Other than…" She frowned and Hiroki sensed he should divert the subject.

"Well, I mean, I just assumed that since you like the Professor, you like… you know… older men."

He heard a scratch and swallowed nervously, hoping Miyagi would pipe the fuck down and learn to take a joke- and also hoping that he wasn't damaging his cupboards.

Though Miyagi evidently took offense, Risako laughed softly at the joke. "He's not that much older… in fact, I typically only date men who are at least five years my senior."

"Why's that?"

"Well, before I married I was young… and young men just aren't that mature," she sighed, twisting a long lock of hair around her finger with a sad sigh. "It really is hard to find good men, you know. Most of the really great ones are either taken or… gay." Her eyes narrowed as a sly smile graced her features.

Hiroki's eyes widened slightly in realization but he quickly recovered, laughing rather nervously. "W-well, I hear that from women a lot, hahaha- mostly on TV, aha-ahaha… ahahahaha…"

"Yes." She closed her eyes, smiling. "Gay, taken… or both."

"Has this been your experience?" Hiroki inquired nervously.

She laughed, softly. "Not really. What's this?" She blinked, suddenly picking up the manuscript Usami had left on the table.

"GAH-! TH-THAT'S SOMETHING AN IDIOT LAME-ASS WRITER FRIEND OF MINE BROUGHT OVER, HE ASKED THAT I NOT LET ANYONE SEE IT!"

"Mm?" Risako blinked, raising her gaze from the provocative content, already having noticed enough to make Hiroki squirm with discomfort. "Is this a romance novel? I do like those."

'Ugh, an idiot!' Hiroki thought, annoyed. "So the only literature you enjoy is romance?"

"Well, to be perfectly honest, I hate pretty much everything I read, watch, or listen to… I'm somewhat of a perfectionist… and an existentialist… when it comes to TV shows, movies, books, stories, or music, if I disagree with something mentioned or conveyed, it can ruin it for me."

"Ruin it for you?"

"Mm." She nodded, turning pages, much to his aggravation. "For example, if this were an actual book, and I had happened upon this line, I'd probably not buy it. I've matured a lot since I was a child- when I was a child, I would throw the book across the room if it irritated me."

"Don't you think you should give it an entire once-through before judging it?" Hiroki huffed.

"I really don't have the time for that," she explained. "Although, to be honest, I envy you a bit… in your profession, you have the time to spend exploring further, whereas I don't. What little downtime I do have, I prefer enjoying myself or the hobbies I choose to occupy my time with. You must think I'm a very simple-minded person." She smiled.

"Not necessarily," he grumbled. Even though he disagreed with a bit of what she had to say, he had to admit she had a point. Being a literature professor, he could claim that his beloved book-reading hobbies pertained to his work without feeling guilty about reading rather than partaking in some other seemingly more important or productive hobby, such as exercising, for example, or cooking or cleaning. "So… what line were you referring to?"

"This line here, where the character Nakajou Hiroki claims to be a prideful man, and yet in the same sentence, complains that he's an uke, indicates that he feels it's shameful to be the one on bottom. As a woman, and an occasional bottom, I find this at least slightly offensive."

Hiroki's eyes sparked just as hers had. "Well as a man, I can sort of see where he comes from; men are placed under different societal standards than women and are often raised thinking and feeling as though they are supposed to be almost absurdly macho and thus I don't feel that this is an awkward portrayal of the writer's personal beliefs so much as it is a realistic characterization of a man of this character's age and ethnicity."

"Regardless, this small issue poses a problem for me as a person who reads for personal enjoyment. If I continue reading this book, do you suppose this author will expand on these personal feelings?"

"Well considering the fact that the character- in fact the work itself- focuses on a homosexual relationship and is written in a way that acknowledges and respects the genre itself, doesn't it go without saying that it's acceptable both to top and bottom?"

"It still bothers me enough to where I won't be satisfied until this 'wrong' is made right."

"I'll pass that feedback along to the author- he's a good friend of mine. And since these works are aimed primarily at females, I'll let him know what a real one's opinion is- on that line, at least."

"Mm…" She flipped a few pages, glancing over them. "I'm aware of this work, though. I'm a bit tired of the trite couplings… pass that feedback along, too."

"Tri-?" Usami started and Miyagi covered his mouth, quickly.

Risako blinked, looking around, before eying Hiroki. "Did you say something?"

"Trite?" he coughed, clearing his throat.

"Yeah," she continued glancing about before shrugging it off. "The main couple is irritating to me and then the secondary couple is composed of a kid who seems to lack any noteworthy faults and your typical, _trite,_ tsundere uke."

"YOU'RE A FANGIRL?" Hiroki's eye twitched. "Y-you're successful! And intelligent! How can you be a-?"

"And just what is THAT supposed to mean?" she huffed, folding her arms.

"M-more importantly… what's going on, here?" Hiroki huffed.

She sighed, folding her arms. "One of your students saw you being kissed by a young man about the age of a student."

Hiroki's eyes widened.

"Apparently you had failed this same student- probably for being an idiot, as he's caused my father a lot of problems over the past year or two… so to exact his revenge, he claimed that you are a homosexual deviant who is taking advantage of the students, sexually."

Hiroki's eyes widened. "What?"

"If this allegation could be disproved by personal experience- for example, the dean's daughter dating the so-called sexual deviant in question, then all allegations would be dismissed- but as it is, rumors are spreading. The folder my father was going to present you with contained information pertaining to said allegations. So, to bring up our date to the members of the board would make everyone drop the new hot topic like a hot potato."

"So why are you and the dean so interested in helping me?"

"Well, my father likes you and just wants the petty rumors to be put to rest- he knows you'd never engage in sexual conduct with a student. As for me… I know Miyagi likes you- he spoke very fondly of you right before we divorced- and being somewhat of a 'fangirl' myself, of course I volunteered."

Hiroki frowned. He wanted to ask if she had ulterior motives; like making Miyagi jealous or something, which would be futile, of course… but he definitely couldn't do it with Miyagi listening in- that would just be wrong- even if no one meant for it to occur.

"So did Yoh help you?" Risako smiled.

"Yoh?" Hiroki asked, confused. "Oh! Professor Miyagi?"

"Yes. He didn't say anything to me, which isn't terribly out of the ordinary, but considering the situation, I'm thinking he must be helping you to lose my interest- or try."

"Well, there's the gay thing- and I want you to know I definitely never did anything with a student- not since I was one, myself, almost ten years ago… but right now I'm with Nowaki and I have been, for about seven or so years, now."

"Really?" She smiled. "So you really are a 'forever' type of person."

"If the guy's right, anyone can do it. Something tells me Professor Miyagi wasn't right for you."

She frowned. "I wasn't right for him. Anyway, he says he has someone, now. Know anything about it?"

She had been, thus far, honest with Hiroki, and he appreciated it, so he would be honest with her. "Yeah. I know a lot about it. More than I care to since I'm the type who prefers to leave work at work and home at home- and this whole situation is exactly why."

She smiled. "I won't ask who or anything. I just want to know if he's happy."

Hiroki frowned. "It's hard for me to tell. He really doesn't change much when he's at work. He acts like a dorky, nit-witted, dopey, four year old at school whether he's happy, sad, or annoyed… but… behaviorally, he goes home earlier more often now that he has that person… no offense."

She smiled very sadly. "It's alright. None taken. When you were hired, we were already having problems. He stayed late every single day he worked. If he has someone now, I'm a little sad… but overall, I'm happy. And it gives me closure as far as Yoh is concerned."

"Yeah." Hiroki smiled. "You know, if I were straight, I think I would think you're a real catch."

"And as a homosexual?" She smirked.

"I think you're not such a bad fangirl," he laughed and she joined him.

"Well," she removed the cold beer from her ankle and inspected it, "I should probably get going."

"What're you going to tell your father?"

"That you tried too hard not to look at my breasts."

"Beautiful _and_ smart… Professor Miyagi's the one who never had a chance."

She laughed. "That's sweet, but not true."

"Why don't you tell your father I asked you out on another date. I'm free after the fifteenth, if your foot is healed up by then," he suggested.

She blinked, shocked. "You don't have to do that. I'm sure that if I just tell him you tried too hard to stare at my breasts and that-"

"It's fine. We can go on one more- it's not as bad as I thought. Talking to women… it's kind of nice," Hiroki admitted. "And I'd like to talk to you again- away from my apartment."

'Where no one can listen in. I'd like to listen more earnestly to your stories.'

She smiled. "Alright, if you're sure you're alright with it."

"I'm sure… Let me call you a cab."

"Thanks, again." She smiled as he headed over to the phone and dialed.

-.=.-.=.-

As soon as Risako had left, Hiroki headed back up to his apartment.

When he opened the door, he gawked in horror at the sight that met him.

Not just Usami and Miyagi- but Nowaki, as well?

"Hiro-san!" Nowaki smiled, greeting him at the door. "We passed each other, but I hid when I saw the girl with you. She's lovely."

"Yeah." Hiroki's brow twitched. "You didn't have to hide."

"Why are they here?" Nowaki gestured to Usami and Miyagi, who were sharing a smoke on the back deck.

"Welcome back, Kamijou." Miyagi waved. "I'll remember that- what did you call me, again?"

"A dorky, nit-witted, dopey, four year old," Usami recalled.

"Riiiight."

"And what was it he called me?" Usami inquired, feigning a poor memory.

"An idiot, lame-ass writer friend of his- at least you got a 'friend' in there. I got insulted time and time again- saying things like I don't deserve a beautiful, intelligent person. Oh well, I have one, so I can't get mad."

"That muskrat?" Hiroki muttered, gawking when he realized Miyagi had heard him; the man shot him a dirty glare.

"Why are there so many people?" Nowaki asked, again.

"Akihiko came over to flaunt his latest piece of crap novel, the Professor swung by to give me some news, but Risako showed up out of the blue, so they had to hide for the duration of my date- you really should have made yourself known! Takatsuki-san was already well-aware of your existence and our relationship, and she was hurt- you could have helped."

Nowaki shrunk a bit, frowning. "Ah- I didn't know. I'm sorry, Hiro-san. Is that why she was in the apartment? She was hurt?"

"Yeah." Hiroki shrugged, sighing. "It's okay- it's not like you knew the whole thing was a farce."

Nowaki smiled, relaxing a bit. "Well, I'm just glad the 'farce' is over with, now."

Hiroki swallowed, nervously.

"WELL, I'd better head off."

"Gotta go, see you bright and early Monday morning, Kamijou!"

Usami and Miyagi headed out swiftly; Usami forgetting the manuscript in his rush.

"It _is _over, right, Hiro-san?" Nowaki asked, nervously.

-.=.-.=.-

Miyagi glanced at his watch as he and Usami headed out of the building.

While distracted, he received a blow to the side of the head, courtesy of one Takatsuki Shinobu's backpack.

"MIYAGI!" Shinobu snapped him out of his stupor. "Why in the hell were you in Kamijou the Devil's apartment for that long?"

"You okay?" Usami asked, attracting Shinobu's attention to him.

"Who the hell is HE?"

"Usami Akihiko, a novelist," Miyagi muttered, rubbing his head.

"UGH." Shinobu slapped himself in the face, annoyed. "You got sidetracked ogling over some novelist?"

"I did not!" Miyagi knelt down, picking up Shinobu's backpack and handing it to him. "Risako showed up out of nowhere and so Kamijou had to invite her up. Since the two of us had both come to see Kamijou, we had to hide away for a while."

"Did you grab the folder out of my backpack?" Shinobu demanded.

"Perhaps."

"Did you look through it?"

"Perhaps."

"YOU BASTARD!" Shinobu snapped. "I told you I wanted to see how everything played out! I think my father and sister were actually trying to look out for Kamijou's best-!"

"I know, I know, we figured it out, and she even admitted it to Kamijou during their date."

Shinobu fell silent. "So they really did date? AH-!" His eyes widened and he backed away, shocked. "She went into his apartment for the first date?"

"Don't worry, Shinobu-chin!" Miyagi patted him on the shoulder, smiling. "He didn't come onto her, how many times do I have to tell you that Kamijou is a homo?"

Shinobu relaxed, slightly. "Then why did she go up?"

Usami exhaled a long stream of smoke after taking a drag off of his cigarette. "She was _injured_."

"INJURED!" Shinobu gaped at him, then looked up at Miyagi. "Wh-?"

"She's FINE, she's _FIIINE._" Miyagi huffed, ruffling Shinobu's hair affectionately. "She just hurt her foot, she was walking just fine."

"Where is she now?" Shinobu asked.

"Uh… you just missed her. She left in a cab though."

Shinobu fumed, pulling out his cell so he could text her but Miyagi snagged it.

"And when she asks HOW you knew her foot was hurt?" Miyagi huffed.

"I just have to make sure she's okay!"

"The only person who knows is KAMIJOU, who EVERYONE knows you hate with a fiery passion. Why would you talk to him and find out?" Miyagi snapped.

"Um, I could have seen her on the street?"

"Then why didn't you offer to help her?" Usami asked.

"I didn't _really _see her! I mean, that's what I could say! Why are you still here?"

"Nice talking to you." Miyagi smiled politely to Usami. "Please be safe heading home."

"You, too. If you need a ride, I have a car," Usami stated.

"I've got one, thanks." Miyagi nudged Shinobu down the street, but Shinobu's eyes were glued onto his phone.

"Take care."

"You, too."

"Miyagiii!" Shinobu complained. "Give me your phone!"

Suddenly the cell began ringing.

Shinobu snatched it and answered. "Hello?"

"Shinobu, did you take father's folder? The one he was being absurdly secretive about?" Risako inquired.

"Is your foot okay?" Shinobu blurted.

"It's getting… how… how did you know about that?" Risako asked.

"I'm being used as an errand boy, today, so when I stopped by the devil's home a bit ago, he told me I'd just missed my sister and that you were hurt."

"Oh," she replied. "We must have just missed one another… what were you doing going over there?"

"I grabbed some stuff from Dad and Miyagi to run all over the place, saw the folder with Kamijou's name on it, so I took it to him."

"You idiot! He's not supposed to see it unless father takes it to him! Get it back."

Miyagi raised the folder, annoyed.

"Will do," Shinobu replied into the phone before hanging up. "She's fine."

"I know!" Miyagi snapped, annoyed as the two approached the car. "Get in."

Shinobu climbed into the passenger's seat and Miyagi closed the door. Smirking, Shinobu hopped over into Miyagi's seat and locked the door, placing his hands on the steering wheel.

Miyagi, who wasn't quite paying attention, approached from his side and pulled the handle, only to glower at Shinobu in realization when it wouldn't open. "Ugh. Come on, now."

"I'm going to drive."

Miyagi leaned down, raising the keys. "How, without these?"

"I'll hot wire it."

"You don't know how to hot wire a car. Open the door."

"Get in on the other side."

"Ugh… do you realize how much trouble we WILL get into WHEN you crash?"

"I won't crash," Shinobu pouted, unlocking the door.

"I'll take you out to my parents' farm sometime and you can practice there," Miyagi muttered, opening it.

Shinobu perked, hopping over into his seat. "Okay. Sounds good."

"Yeah." Miyagi got in.

"Next week."

"No." Miyagi buckled up and Shinobu did, too.

"So? How did the date go?" Shinobu asked.

Miyagi smiled. "Well..."

**To Be Continued… **

**AN: Bwahahaha. Reviews are orgasmic.**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: **Sorry it took so long to update. I will try to end the fic, soon.

-.=.-.=.-

**Chapter 9**

-.=.-.=.-

Hiroki fumbled with his keys as he stood outside his office. He was exhausted from the previous night's activities, (the date, dealing with Usami and Miyagi- the two worst people in the world, explaining himself to Nowaki, sex, sex, sex, and more sex… etc.)

Once he got the key in the door, he twisted it and let himself inside, glowering when he saw Miyagi snoozing on the couch, a thick comforter draped over the lazy bastard. He closed the door, locked it, and walked past the couch toward his computer, but not before dropping his briefcase on top of the man on his way by.

"Guh-oof!" Miyagi sat up and looked around in a frantic panic, but what made Hiroki freeze in his tracks was the sound of a soft groan emitting from beneath the blankets.

His eye twitched and he turned, watching as a round shape lifted up from beneath the blanket. Miyagi pushed the comforter downward, revealing the round shape to be the head of none other than the dean's beloved son, and Miyagi's private play thing.

"Professooooor!" Hiroki fumed quietly. "WHAT the FUCK is your MALFUNCTION?"

"Hmmm!" Miyagi hummed, grinning wickedly. "Nothing's wrong with me, Kamijou, I'm functioning just perfectly!"

"You guys better not have done ANYTHING questionable in this office!"

"Should we have gone to the library?"

Hiroki's eyes bulged at the teen who'd spoken; one Takatsuki Shinobu- who sat up and stretched, popping his back. "Wh-what did you say?"

First of all, the brat had just confirmed that they HAD done something, (most likely), and secondly, this meant that asshole Miyagi had told Shinobu about _that_ incident.

Miyagi snickered at his lover's joke and waved playfully at his assistant. "Don't worry, Kamijou, he won't tell."

Glaring, the assistant professor turned and plopped down in his seat, opening his laptop and getting quickly to work.

A knock sounded at the door and the dean's voice followed suit. "Pardon me, it's chairman Takatsuki."

Shinobu gaped at the door and scrambled around to collect his things, (he was already dressed, but his backpack and jacket were strewn about the already messy office).

"Come on in," Hiroki called without hesitation and Shinobu glowered at him.

The door twisted but Hiroki had locked it. "I can't."

"Coming!" Hiroki stood and blinked when he saw Miyagi sitting at his desk, relaxed… Shinobu was nowhere to be seen.

He arched a brow at the man who stuck his tongue out, furrowing his brows.

Opening the door, Hiroki smiled to the dean a tad nervously before heading back to his desk. "Good morning, Chairman."

"Mornin' boss, how's it going? Sure is a lovely morning, isn't it?" Miyagi asked, and Hiroki inwardly snickered at his overly obvious attempt at acting 'casual.'

"Uh, it's raining... but I guess it's alright." The dean eyed him quizzically. "Miyagi-kun, did you miss a shave this morning?"

"Um… Nah… I… I uh…" Miyagi's face broke out into a look of sheer nervousness and discomfort. "Uh… b-been hitting the gym… aaaah… and… it's… um… raising… raising-!" He pounded his fist against the desk, gritting his teeth and the dean stared at him, confused. Hiroki also gave him a curious look before realizing that Shinobu had hidden beneath his desk and was probably doing something fairly inappropriate.

That would explain the idiot's behavior, anyway. "TESTOSTERONE! Th-that's the word, ahahahahahaha! It was at the tip of my… t-tongue." He lowered his head, gritting his teeth. "I j-just couldn't remember it… hahaha!"

"You probably pulled another all-nighter here in the office," the dean sighed, shaking his head. "It's obvious, you know- your hair's all a mess- make sure you head to the bathroom before starting your first class. Get yourself cleaned up, and stop working so hard."

"Mmm… yeaaah…!" Miyagi grunted out his response, head still bowed but nodding, and Hiroki grimaced, disgusted.

"What's the matter?" The dean frowned. "Do you have a stomach ache?"

"No." Miyagi smiled, looking far more relieved, suddenly. "I feel great."

"O…kaaay…" The dean turned to Hiroki. "Ah… maybe you should head to the bathroom, now… I have a few things I wanted to discuss with Kamijou, if you don't mind."

Miyagi stared at the dean, a nervous grin spreading across his face. "Go… to the bathroom?"

"And get cleaned up." The dean nodded.

"Mmm… uh… okay."

"…"

"…."

"…"

Hiroki smirked. This was too entertaining. How would his superior possibly save himself from this situation?

"Are you going…?" The dean arched a brow at Miyagi, who was still just smiling stupidly at him.

"Uh, yeah… I need to stop by the LIBRARY on my way back, anyway… So after I CLEAN UP this MESS that I've become, I'll head over to the LIBRARY and then I'll come back… here."

The dean stared at him incredulously and Hiroki sighed.

"Because that's what FRIENDS ARE FOR!" Miyagi elaborated.

"Are you feeling alright?" The dean turned to him fully and Hiroki passed the man. "Actually, chairman, could I talk to you in your office?"

"Uh, s-sure." The dean gave Miyagi one last worried glance as he headed out.

Miyagi smiled, relieved, waving all friendly like.

The dean couldn't do more than wave back, still perturbed.

As soon as the door closed, Miyagi swerved away from the desk and zipped up his fly, furiously. "YOU FUCKING IDIOT! HOW IN THE HELL COULD YOU PULL SOMETHING LIKE **THAT**_** HERE**_OF ALL PLACES, WITH **HIM **OF ALL PEOPLE IN THE FUCKING ROOM?"

"Keep your voice down, they're probably not far away." Shinobu crawled out from under his lover's desk nonchalantly. He stood, popped his back once more, pulled on his jacket, and headed out. "By the way, what did you want for dinner, tonight?"

Miyagi, still frazzled and trembling with adrenaline, just glowered at him in return.

"Cabbage stir fry it is." Shinobu shrugged, heading out and closing the door behind him.

-.=.-.=.-

"Alright, Kamijou." The dean closed the door and headed to his chair. "Is this about Miyagi-kun, work, or your date with my daughter, last night?"

"I don't want you using that fake date with your daughter to put an end to any allegations pertaining to my sexuality," Hiroki stated, in a very straightforward manner.

The dean blinked, eyes widening. "Ah… wh-what're you-?"

"A friend of the student who reported me told me about it in hopes that it would save their grade, so I know all about this setup, but I don't think it's fair to anyone to fabricate some ridiculous date or relationship in order to defend my honor as an educator. My homosexuality doesn't have anything to do with my skills as an assistant professor and anyone who suggests that I'd engage in any type of relationships or disorderly conduct with any of my students- male or female- is guilty of libel. I have a lover who I've been with for about seven years and none of my students are smart enough to even remotely strike my fancy."

The dean laughed at that last statement and sighed, removing his glasses and tossing them onto the desk before placing his hand over his mouth, turning his attention to his computer. "Very well, Kamijou-kun. I'll level with you, too. I already knew about your… well… you know. That large man who chased you to your office a few months back? I heard the commotion and came outside, and then some girls who'd overheard you two arguing filled me… and the rest of the school… in on what had happened."

"Hah?" Hiroki stared, perplexed.

The dean typed for a moment, then turned the monitor to show Hiroki a webpage.

Blinking, the brunette leaned forward and peered at its contents.

The layout was pink and purple and flowery, and at the top was a banner entitled 'Demon Kamijou's secret luv-luv!' His eyes bulged and he snagged the mouse away from the chairman, scrolling down to pictures which had been taken on some students' cameras.

Pictures of Nowaki pinning him against the wall and yelling at him, the two running side-by-side down the hall while arguing, and a picture of Nowaki banging against the door to his office all littered the horrifying screen before him.

Annoyingly enough, they also had captions with a lovely little scripts detailed in pink beside the pictures that enabled anyone who had access to the page to comprehend exactly what was being said- almost word for word.

Hiroki's eyes bulged when they scanned over Nowaki's promise- to wait at the family restaurant for Hiroki that evening not so long ago.

Scrolling down, Hiroki found, to his horror, multiple pictures of himself, waiting outside the restaurant, all with times and obnoxious emoticons posted next to them-

5:00 … :D

6:00 … : )

7:00 … :(

8:00 … D :

9:00 … ToT

As he scrolled down further, (despite his desire not to), he found a more recent picture of Nowaki and himself, heading into the family restaurant, followed by a rant about what a loser he was for taking Nowaki back after being dumped.

He rose, furious, and the dean sensed his evil aura.

"Anyway…" The dean turned the computer back and exited out of those web pages. "I'm not against your personal relationship, as I don't see how it positively or negatively affects your work ethic. Miyagi is constantly bragging about what a great worker you are, and I trust his judgment. I also trust what I see, and I see two constantly hard-working literature enthusiasts that I'm proud to have as members of my staff."

'You must be blind in one eye,' Hiroki thought, calming down slightly. "Thank you."

"I also admire your stance with regard to this situation, however, I do intend to follow through with my original plan. I'll settle these allegations by informing certain interested parties about your date with my daughter."

"That's not necessary," Kamijou snapped sternly and the chairman sighed.

"It's fine, Kamijou, really. No one needs to know that you aren't still going to be-"

"That's not true, either. I already asked her on a second date, too."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Yeah." Kamijou shrugged. "I don't have many friends, since I'm an introvert and I'm often absorbed by work or reading. Talking to her was very refreshing. I quite enjoyed her company… so I thought I would arrange a second so-called date and that we could talk some more."

"So you'll… be going out… on a second date… but…?"

"But?" Kamijou blinked.

"You're… gay…?"

"Yeah."

"So that would make you and Risako… girl… friends?"

Kamijou glared at the man who flinched, startled. Due to their superior-subordinate relationship, he had never before been on the receiving end of Kamijou the Devil's glower.

"Just 'friends.'"

"I see. Well, we'll continue playing it off as though you're dating."

"Aren't you concerned about what people will think?" Kamijou frowned. "I don't want to use Taka- ah… Risako-san that way."

"I beg your pardon?" The dean blinked.

"She was married to professor Miyagi- everyone around here is aware of that… if they find out she's dating his assistant… it'll spread rumors about her."

The dean fell silent, and while Kamijou couldn't quite interpret the man's thoughts, the dean was actually quite touched that Kamijou was giving his daughter so much consideration.

"I don't mind if these allegations are brought against me. I don't care if there're rumors. People always spread shit about me- hell, look at the web page," Kamijou sighed. "I'm behated by many students because of my strict style, so I think any absurd rumors will be dismissed by most people anyway, since they'll brush it off as students just trying to tarnish my reputation out of malice… but Takatsuki-sa… I mean Risako-san- I don't want her to feel bad because people are wondering or talking about whether she's going out with me to make professor Miyagi jealous, or trying to date the dean's employees to cause trouble or scandals. I don't want her to have to deal with any more crap. I think she gets enough crap at home, at work, and among the friends she and professor Miyagi at one point shared, because she cheated on him."

"Did she mention any of that during your date?" the dean asked.

"That's private." Kamijou replied.

"Why are you gay?" The dean sighed, annoyed.

"Ah… are you asking that… because-?"

"I want to marry you to my daughter? Yes," the dean sighed, rubbing his temple. "It was a joke, Kamijou-kun. Lighten up."

"Ah."

"You know Kamijou, I don't mind taking the rap for this one. I love Risako and I've developed a great admiration for you as well. I've always been content with your work as you've always exceeded my expectations. Your passion for literature is probably greater than Miyagi's… but because, like you've stated, you've been so absorbed in your work, and likely due to your homosexuality, you've always left your personal life at home and concentrated on working while at work, I've not gotten to get to know you well… until today, that is… and I'm quite blown away."

"Thank you?" Kamijou asked, confused. "Wh… what do you mean when you say you'll take the rap?"

"I'm going to act as though I'm trying to marry Risako to you- then the rumors will be directed toward me."

"Chairman Takatsuki-!"

"Now go on. I'm going to tell those who brought the allegations to my attention that they were based on groundless evidence and that I've disproved them. I have a meeting to get to."

"Thank you, sir."

"And Kamijou." The dean folded his arms, sternly. "If anyone gives you any shit for being a homosexual… anyone at work- you let me know."

"All due respect, sir, I can handle those types of things on my own."

"I expected as much. One last thing, Kamijou-kun."

"What is it?"

"Miyagi knows, doesn't he?"

"Yeah… he does." Kamijou blinked.

"He teases you a lot for it, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, well… he teases me for a lot of things, but it's in… 'good spirit.'"

"I just wanted to make sure you were aware that he has nothing against you."

"I've known I was gay since I was ten years old, sir. I've long since developed an understanding and awareness of those who are and who are not tolerant or accepting of my sexuality."

"I know… I just want to convey that I'm on your side."

"I appreciate it."

"Is there anything in particular you'd like to discuss before we part ways?"

"Professional, or personal?" Kamijou asked.

"Did you have something personal you wished to discuss?"

"Two things, actually. You and your daughter seem supportive. Is there someone in your family who's homosexual?"

"Mm?" The dean blinked. "Why do you ask that?"

"In my experience, elderly gentleman such as yourself have a tendency to frown upon this type of thing. The few I've known not to… have a homosexual in their family," Kamijou chose his words carefully.

The dean smiled. "Well, I wish I could reinforce the prospect that not all elderly men frown upon such things, but there _is_ a homosexual person in my family. My wife and I suspect, anyway."

"I see."

"But he's far too young for you, Kamijou."

"I'm in a committed relationship, nearing our eighth anniversary."

"Well congratulations!" The dean smiled. "Alright- oh… you said there was a second thing?"

"About our anniversary… we were hoping to celebrate it on the weekend of the twenty fifth of next month… is there any way I can put in a lot of hours beforehand to make sure I get that day off?"

"Oh, absolutely- next month shouldn't be too bad, anyway- don't even worry about it, just take it off."

"Are you sure? Professor Miyagi may fight back on that."

"Why's that?"

Hiroki resisted the urge to snap that Miyagi would fight it because he'd have to do his own work without his beloved assistant 'Kamijou-senseeeei~!' to do all his dirty work for him… "He likes having me around on Fridays."

"Well I'm sure he'll be fine for one without you." The dean patted his back. "Alright, I'll be late if I don't head off now. You take care, alright?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

-.=.-.=.-

"What did he say, what did he say, what did he say?" Miyagi hounded Hiroki with questions two hours later, when they finally saw one another again in their office.

"Who? About what?" Hiroki asked, absently. He was completely distracted, looking over his students' work.

"The Dean!" Miyagi snapped.

"Mm?" Hiroki glanced over his shoulder and Miyagi slapped his arm, glowering. "What?"

"The Dean! Your date with Risako and the contents of that envelope! What did he say to you?"

"Oh, that?" Hiroki shrugged. "He…" Suddenly he remembered what the dean had said about having a homosexual in his family. "Professor… I _do_ need to talk to you, but not here. Why don't you call me tonight after work?"

"Wha?" Miyagi whined and Hiroki gritted his teeth. He hated it when this man (who he was supposed to respect as his superior) made student-like whining sounds.

"We discussed homosexuality, his family, and me having the weekend of the twenty fifth off."

"Weekend?"

"Yes." Hiroki watched his boss for any signs of resistance, but the man only smiled, knowingly.

"Heeeeh….?" Miyagi stroked his chin, thoughtfully. "The weekend of the twenty fifth…? You going on a vacation with a certain someone?"

Hiroki averted his gaze, the softest tint of pink etching its way across his cheeks. "Sort of. It's our anniversary."

"Tenth?"

"Not quite."

"Ninth?"

"Eighth," Hiroki huffed.

"Longer than any of my relationships lasted." Miyagi shrugged.

Hiroki frowned. "What about that teacher you liked when you were a dumbass student?"

Miyagi blinked. "We were only together for about a year, officially."

"That's all she could take, huh?" Hiroki snickered and Miyagi averted his gaze.

"Uh, she-"

Hiroki's eyes widened and his face paled. "Oh! She passed away?"

Miyagi smiled sadly. "Sorry. That dark turn was my fault. I shouldn't have said that about my relationships." He got to work, forgetting to ask Hiroki about their conversation as his mind drifted off to thoughts of sensei and then to Shinobu. They were alike in some ways, but mostly different… He wondered how long he'd stay together with Shinobu. He'd make promises of 'forever,' 'eternity,' and 'until we're old and gray,' but occasionally he worried that their relationship was detrimental to Shinobu's future and couldn't help but worry himself over, if something did happen, whether or not he would be willing to break up with the teen...

D E P R E S S E D.

Hiroki read his superior's mood, watching his eyes sadden more and more by the second until the man was grimacing, quite displeased with whatever path his thoughts had traveled down that had led to that grim-looking face.

"You think you and that kid will last as long as Nowaki and me?" Hiroki asked, suddenly, wondering if that's what the man was thinking.

"Eight years isn't that long to an old man like me," Miyagi muttered, on automatic.

"Guess in eight years you'll be about forty two or forty three," Hiroki stated, folding his arms thoughtfully.

"What's your point, Kamijou?" Miyagi sensed a joke at his expense was coming, and he thought up some comebacks to ready himself.

"Mmm." Hiroki busied himself with work. "Just that… men can still be very attractive in their thirties… but forties… mm… that's pushing it."

"You bastard!" No comeback was suitable enough for that one. Miyagi just glared.

"And for men with younger lovers, we have to worry about our lovers losing interest." Hiroki played it off as though he were speaking matter-of-factly and not taking blatant digs at the older man.

"Maybe you do, Kamijou, but my lover is enamored by me- well, yours, too, I suppose. _For some reason_."

Magnanimously opting to ignore the bastard, Hiroki went back to grading papers.

"So did the Dean say anything about me?" Miyagi asked, suddenly.

"We talked about you a little when he said I could have my anniversary off… I told him you might fight him on that decision."

"Why would you say that?" Miyagi clasped a hand over his chest as though he were clutching at his heart and trying to keep it from breaking apart. The dramatic gesture went ignored by Hiroki, but he answered the man's question.

"You always make me do all your crap on Fridays."

"You didn't say THAT, did you?" Miyagi got serious, annoyed.

"I told him you like having me around on Fridays."

"Yeah, considering you have a class that conflicts with mine."

Hiroki blinked, then grimaced. "Oh crap."

"It's alright." Miyagi shrugged. "I have that big classroom that day, I'll just stick up a sign that says to enter my classroom and we'll work around it. More importantly, are you really going on another date with Risako?"

"It's not a date. I have too many males in my life and I feel that as a man, it'd be good to have some interactions with females."

"What about your female students?"

"Intelligent females."

"Isn't your star pupil a female?"

"She must be cheating, somehow… kids these days are too crafty."

"She's scored high on all of her tests… somehow I doubt it. Why are you so cynical of your students? If she's doing well, it's a reflection on your strong teaching abilities," Miyagi scolded.

"She never pays attention- always stares at me, stupidly, instead of looking at her book while we read, and can't ever answer a question when I try calling on her, yet the reports she turns in are exemplary and her test scores are perfect."

Miyagi's eye twitched. "You idiot! She has a crush on you!"

"What?" Hiroki sported a look that read 'does not compute.'

"If she stares at you dreamily in class and stammers over questions when you call on her, that's indicative of a crush!"

"Oh."

Miyagi sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose. "About the date with Risako-"

"It's not a date!" Hiroki huffed.

"How's your lover feel about it?"

"That's none of your business," Hiroki snapped, making it perfectly clear that he absolutely refused to discuss the matter with Miyagi.

"Huh… so he's against it." Miyagi grinned, knowingly and Hiroki exploded.

"It's ridiculous! I've told him stuff before that lead him to believe I have a bit of interest in women when I'm sure everyone knows I _don't_… so now, when I talk about her or mention wanting to hang out with her, he seems..."

"Jealous?" Miyagi asked, quirking a brow.

"A bit disturbed by it. Like he knows it's nothing, but feels like if I have extra time to spend with her, I should spend it with him."

"Mm." Miyagi frowned. That didn't sound good. If Kamijou were a girl, wanting to hang out with a girl friend or guy friend, and the boyfriend or husband seemed annoyed at the prospect, I'd worry about control issues."

"I know what you're thinking. I don't think I have to worry about that kind of thing with Nowaki," Hiroki sighed, tapping his pen against his desk, deep in thought. "But I think I'll hang out with her when he's working."

"Did you tell him that?"

"Yeah, I didn't want to make it seem like I was seeing anyone behind his back and I wanted to test to see if it was a matter of jealousy or just a matter of him wanting to spend time with me, which I think is understandable… if he had a day off at the same time as me and went to hang out with some other friend, I'd feel a bit annoyed, too."

Miyagi grinned, pleased that Kamijou was using him to work out problems and trusting him as a friend, to listen to them. "Well? What'd he say?"

"He seemed to feel relieved after I suggested I'd only hang out with her a bit after work, while he was at work."

"That's good." Miyagi felt a bit relieved himself. He didn't know Kamijou's boyfriend/husband very well- in fact, what few interactions they'd had, Nowaki DEFINITELY came across as the jealous, over-protective and possibly possessive type.

Still...

He wanted to like him. Not simply because Kamijou adored him so much, but because he felt like they'd simply got off on the wrong foot. Nowaki seemed like a pretty good guy- at least when Kamijou talked about him.

"I think I should have Nowaki meet her- I think they'd like each other… then maybe he'd feel better to know that it's just a female-friend thing."

"You mean _girl friiieeeends._"

"Shut up, Professor."

"Well, I'm also against it! Maybe I should team up with Kusama-kun." Miyagi smirked and Hiroki glared.

"Why are you against it? Afraid I'll dig up some dirt on you? I'm sure your not-so-beloved ex-wife has plenty to dish out."

"Probably."

"We've probably got a lot in common. She lived with you- I practically live with you here in the office, we both probably know all of your annoying habits-"

"Hmpf." Miyagi turned, folding his arms. "Don't talk about me- I'll cry."

"Ugh." Hiroki sighed. "By the way, what was with that comment? You heard it, right?"

"What?"

"She said she's an _occasional _bottom… does that imply what I think it does?"

"Well Kamijou, you're a homo. Your definition of 'bottoming' differs from women's. Well… most women… but let's not venture there… women can't _naturally _top a guy by giving it up his ass, so when she implied she 'topped me' which she did- and I loved every second of it- that means she bounced up and down on my big, monster-like-"

"Professor, if you finish that sentence, I'm reporting you to the dean for sexual harassment," Hiroki snapped, turning away in disgust. "That's my friend you're talking about."

"Yay! I was referred to as your friend!"

"I WAS NOT TALKING ABOUT YOU AT ALL! TAKATSUKI-SAN! TAKATSUKI-SAN!"

Miyagi's smirk slowly faded. "By the way, I could tell that yesterday, you wanted to ask if Risako was going out with you to make me jealous."

"I didn't. You were there. I wouldn't ask that in front of you."

"Good. Don't ask it while I'm NOT there, either."

"Why?" Hiroki huffed, glaring at his superior, annoyed. What he and Risako discussed in private was of no concern to him… even if it _did _concern him.

"Just don't go too far. Don't hurt her," Miyagi snapped, folding his arms.

Hiroki blinked, caught off guard. "Professor…? You don't still have feelings for her, do you?"

"Of course not! She's a dirty-rotten-stinkin' cheater, and I hate cheaters!" Miyagi snapped. "It's just that I don't want…" he trailed off, thinking. "She… she's had to deal with this kind of crap from her other friends that we used to share. When we got divorced, our friends chose one or the other, and pretty much… no one chose her… I mean she 'cheated' or whatever, so of course no one would choose her… and she… it's not like I… it's not like we..."

Hiroki sighed, a bit relieved. He'd been concerned Miyagi didn't feel bad before. He sympathized with Risako and now he felt less annoyed at the one who caused her to feel so badly. So he felt bad about it, too… he didn't think Miyagi was insensitive enough not to feel bad when he caused someone else trouble… (other than Hiroki, anyway). "You feel guilty, don't you?" He asked, but Miyagi glowered.

"Why should I feel guilty? I didn't cheat!" the professor huffed, getting noticeably defensive.

"You DO feel guilty!" Hiroki stood, smirking triumphantly. "You feel guilty because she loved you and you didn't love her back!"

"Shut up! That's not the case at all! We were both completely aware of what we were getting ourselves involved in! I wanted a smokin' hot trophy wife and she wanted a smokin' hot professional with a good steady job and her father's favor! It was a farce!"

"Well I don't know how involved you two were before the marriage, but she obviously loves you."

"Whatever. She said a bunch of shit after the marriage and even throughout that didn't indicate love at all."

"Alright, we're done with this conversation, Professor," Hiroki huffed, sitting back down. "If you can't be mature about this, I'm done talking to you."

"What mature? I am being mature! If she developed feelings for me based on empty nothings, then that's got nothing to do with me," Miyagi huffed and puffed, looking quite frazzled.

Hiroki felt quite pleased. Quite pleased, indeed. "Fine. Whatever. You're obviously guilty."

"I'm _not_!"

"Whatever you say, Professor."

"Hmpf." Miyagi sourly sat at his desk and began working.

Hiroki continued working as well, and for once, there was peace and quiet in their office.

Well… it was _quiet, _anyway.

**AN: **I'm so tiiiired… Working 50 hours a week, babysitting on my days off and doing 2 classes… so why NOW do I get a hankering to write? Maybe I can squeeze some writing in here and there .


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: **Oh yay another chapter… this chapter centers around Hiroki and Risako as they discuss their respective relationships.

-.=.-.=.-

"The Yoh that you see every day is the one I fell in love with," Risako told Hiroki one evening while they drank coffee and discussed a book that Hiroki had convinced her to re-read.

"What?" Hiroki blinked, caught off guard.

"The way he interacts with you; fun, witty, a little cheesy and playful… but he's very conscious of others… and he's kind and considerate… even though he acts like a boy, he's very responsible when it comes to adult things like knowing when to say something- when not to… when you can buy something extravagant- when not to… the way he acts around you differs from the way he acts around me. But the way he acts around you… is how he acted toward me, at first."

"So what happened?" Hiroki frowned, unable to fathom why she would fall in love with someone like that but humoring her, regardless.

"He was reluctant to marry me, but my father was persistent about it. I actually felt quite hurt by the time the marriage decision was finalized. My father kept pushing and Yoh would try to avoid the topic or make up excuses why we just weren't ready. It's like, before the marriage, we enjoyed each other's company, had fun, and talked. We were like good friends. But the more my father pushed, I think the more uncomfortable Miyagi became with the idea, until finally, I convinced him that we could do it just for appearances… I think he finally just gave up… and gave in… that's when it started hurting."

Hiroki frowned. His mother had tried to force him to date women and he'd always refused or just blown her off. It didn't take too long before his mother stopped pestering him. Although, perhaps not coincidentally, she had stopped pestering him around the time he introduced Nowaki to his parents.

"There is a strange side to professor Miyagi that I see very occasionally… a serious side."

"Yeah. That's how he acted toward the end of our marriage and even now, we can't even be very good friends anymore. Occasionally I'll borrow a DVD or lend him something, to give myself an excuse to go see him again," she sighed. "Pathetic, right?"

"A little," Hiroki agreed and she glared.

"Thanks."

He smirked, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, you know he's moved on. Maybe you should, too."

"Oh, I had a date the other day."

"Yeah, but I hear that guy was gay."

She rolled her eyes. "Before the fake date between you and me."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"How'd it go?"

"I paid."

"That's… bad?"

Risako glowered at Hiroki who hadn't been joking, this time. Annoyed, she continued.

"He asked me out- he picked the restaurant- then he didn't make a move to pay, and didn't stop me when I did."

"Why would you offer?"

"We sat there talking about whatever the hell job he has for two hours. I figured if I made a move to get the check, he'd stop me and pay, taking the hint that the date was just about over."

"Didn't happen?"

"No. He just pretended not to notice, and didn't address it at all."

"Yeah… did he call you back?"

"Yeah… I answered the phone, then hung up."

"Haha," Hiroki snickered. Women had so much more freedom to be rude on dates. He envied her a bit- not that he really had to deal with that sort of thing. All of the one-night stands he'd had in the past were far easier to deal with- he imagined. When it came to the few who wanted to get together, he'd just have to sternly reject. Very rarely did he ever have to be out and out rude- by his standards… he could list the number of annoying and persistent individuals on his hand… Nowaki… Shinoda…

Shuddering, Hiroki averted his gaze.

"Shinobu says Miyagi has found someone he's head over heels in love with… I'm sure he's just saying that so I won't express my interest so openly."

"He's not just saying it." Hiroki frowned, averting his gaze. "The Professor really is very deeply involved with someone- from what I understand."

"Is it someone I know?" Risako frowned. "I just want to know that there really is someone."

"Do you?" Hiroki sighed, closing his eyes. "Whether it's someone you know or someone you don't, do you really want to put yourself through that? 'What is it about so-and-so that I didn't have?' 'Why does he choose so-and-so over me…?' I don't want you to ask yourself those things."

Risako sighed. "It's that woman, the teacher he loved as a young man. He was so in love with her, he clung to the memory of her from the time she died almost twenty years ago. So I wasn't enough to help him move on and fall in love with me, but he could fall in love with someone else… why was I unable to-?"

"That's exactly what I don't want you asking yourself," Hiroki huffed, kicking her good foot gently. "Cut it out."

Risako smiled at her newfound friend, sighing. "You're right. I have to move on, too. I appreciate your concern… and I know you have an obligation to be loyal to Yoh."

"Pfft." Hiroki looked away. "I don't know about THAT."

"Certainly. He's your friend, isn't he?"

"I dunno."

"Well, friendship between men can be beautiful- complicated but beautiful."

"Mm."Hiroki shrugged, not entirely certain if he agreed. His relationship with Miyagi bordered on friendship, but due to their work roles, he found himself biting his tongue when it came to things he would otherwise snap at the man for. Then again, Miyagi often used their roles to bully Hiroki into talking about things that he really did need to talk about sometimes, which mean the bastard probably cared about him… maybe.

He had other male friends, but the first man to come to his mind when he thought about friends (other than Nowaki, who he could easily claim replaced his childhood friend as both the center of his world as well as his best friend) was the great Usami Akihiko.

"Do you have other friends? Any gay friends?" Risako asked, giving Hiroki shivers. He often wondered if women could read minds.

"My childhood friend is an author- he's gay… I probably shouldn't have told you that."

"That's alright. I won't ask who it is."

"I appreciate it. You'll probably find out on your own- I'm sure I'll let it slip."

"These lips are sealed. I assume it's the author of the manuscript you had on your coffee table?"

"Yeah."

"Hm." She smiled.

Hiroki stirred his drink a bit, contemplating on whether to ask her about what the dean had said the other day. "Your father…?"

"Mm?" Risako blinked.

"He's a good guy," Hiroki mumbled.

"Oh," Risako frowned. "He told me about your conversation the other day. How he went out of his way to tell you he didn't have a problem with homosexuals and that if anyone bullied you, to come tell him right away- sorry if he overdid it. I know you're the type to want to leave personal business at home and concentrate on work-related matters while at work."

"Oh- it's alright… I appreciated his kindness… in any case, I prefer that kind of attitude to wondering if he secretly loathes me…"

"Still, he's such a…" she trailed off, unable to come up with a word. "Well, anyway, I'm glad you weren't offended or weirded out by it."

"I was surprised an older guy like him was so… accepting."

"Well when we found out about Shinobu, we were all a little shocked, but my mother told my father and me to keep it quiet until Shinobu's ready to say something."

"Shinobu?" Hiroki asked, feigning ignorance.

"My little brother- I'm sure you've seen him following Yoh around like a duck." Risako shrugged.

"Oh, that kid? He's gay?"

"We suspect." Risako took a drink before sighing. "When he was twelve, I found a porno mag under his mattress."

"Twelve? That's kind of young," Hiroki stated. (Though in reality, he had one when he was around that age, too- maybe younger). "So if you suspect, that means he doesn't have a boyfriend or anything, right?"

"Oh," Risako sighed, folding her arms with a sour expression. "Absolutely not."

"Huh…?" Hiroki tried interpreting her response as he took a drink from his cup.

"I mean, he's head over heels in love with Yoh."

Hiroki choked.

"Oops, are you alright?" Risako blinked.

Hiroki cleared his throat after swallowing, painfully. "In love with Professor Miyagi?"

"It's fairly obvious," Risako stated, handing him a napkin, which he used to wipe his mouth. "Are you alright?"

"Fine, fine… why do you think he's in love with kkhmm…?" He cleared his throat before continuing. "Why do you think he's…?"

"You're about to start coughing," Risako predicted and Hiroki buried his face in his arms as he coughed uncontrollably.

She patted his back adoringly and then got up and filled a foam cup with some water to bring to him.

He rose after he was done almost dying, taking the water from her. Gratefully, he began drinking it, sighing when he was done.

"Better?"

"Sorry."

"I know it's hard to believe." Risako clasped her hands together, averting her gaze and staring off into space. "But I began connecting the dots when we introduced them and then he told me later that night that he'd seen Miyagi multiple times in the public library."

"Library?" Hiroki's brow twitched.

"Yes, Yoh used to go there all the time to read for hours and hours at this one table." She smiled fondly at the memory. "He's so frugal! He'd never buy as many books as you, but I'm sure he read just as many and probably more."

"Mmm… well he's a lot older, he's had more time," Hiroki huffed. "Although when he was a kid, they didn't have books- they just etched pictures into stone walls."

Risako choked on her drink this time, but she recovered much quicker and classier than Hiroki had. "You know I'm older than you, too, don't you?"

"By a year," Hiroki huffed.

"Thirty is old for an unmarried woman," Risako huffed. Hiroki rolled his eyes.

"So do you think professor Miyagi knows about your little brother's feelings?"

"Well, he may seem like an idiot, but my ex-husband is pretty good with people. He's been reading people as long as he's been reading books- I'm certain he knows… which is why it bothers me a little that he doesn't reject Shinobu's advances. Shinobu knows he has someone he loves, so I imagine he must be going through the same thing as me." She frowned.

"You… think so?"

"I wonder if, when Shinobu says 'he has someone he loves,' I wonder if he thinks Yoh loves him back. I don't want him to suffer like I did- or think the same thing I did. It's too painful; tricking yourself into thinking someone could love you when it's impossible. Although Shinobu may realize he has less chance of winning Yoh's affection, since he's a guy and since Yoh obviously likes women."

"I don't know about that," Hiroki spoke up after a moment of silence and then winced as his shin was kicked.

"That's not funny!" Risako huffed, turning her head and pursing her lips… pouting?

"No no no!" Hiroki waved his hands about, nervously. "That's not what I-! That's now how I meant it!"

"You think I'm not feminine, Kamijou-san?"

"That's not right!" Hiroki huffed, annoyed. "I mean I don't know if the Professor likes girls exclusively."

"Hmm?" Risako arched a brow. "Of course he does. He was in love with _that woman _for who knows how long… and he performed _quite _well in bed with me."

"Is that so…?" Hiroki's eye twitched.

Risako laughed. "I know you don't want to hear about that- oh, but if you like guys, I wonder if you ever-?"

"No!" Hiroki cut her off, annoyed. "I idolized professor Miyagi for about a week before I met him. Then when I met him for the first time, I came to realize what a complete blunder he is."

Risako laughed. "You met him while we were finalizing our divorce."

"Yeah, well," Hiroki huffed. "I don't think that contributes enough to account for his personality now, a year and a half later."

"True." She shrugged. "Still, you have to admit he's pretty attractive."

Hiroki tried thinking about Miyagi's more attractive qualities, but his mind only recounted the day he'd had with the man at work.

_"Kamijou, can you toss me a staple-remover? I stapled my finger, again."_

"Mm." Hiroki pinched the bridge of his nose in contempt.

Risako smiled. "Well, I think he's attractive. You know, I think if I hadn't gotten attached to him during our marriage, we probably could still be friends. I suppose I'm to blame. It could have been a good thing if we were just friends. But he's to blame, too. When I was sad toward the beginning, he would hold me and comfort me- you know, even when I was sad because he didn't return my love, he'd feel guilty and hold me and then we'd- well… in my eyes, we made love, but… I see now that he just acted out of guilt. I didn't mean to do that to him, you know. Guilt him into a marriage he-"

"This conversation's making me sad," Hiroki huffed, folding his arms, annoyed. "Your marriage is over- so get over it and move on and find someone new."

Risako smiled. "Yes. I suppose you're right."

"Someone who doesn't staple his fingers or make rubber band-paperclip shot-guns he uses to fling pencil erasers at people or put tacks on your chair for pointing out an apparent flaw in a character he likes or put pink paper in the copy machine just to piss you off!"

Risako giggled, girlishly. "If you don't want me to adore him in front of you, stop mentioning adorable things!"

"WHICH OF THOSE WAS ADORABLE?"

"Those are the kinds of things he would do around me, too, when we first met. His boyish charms were so alluring I guess I was fated to fall in love with the bastard."

"I don't understand how anyone could find any of those things adorable, but then again, I don't share your perspective. What you call boyish charm, I call immature."

"What's your boyfriend like, Kamijou-san?" she asked suddenly, interested.

"My…?" Hiroki flushed, slightly.

"Nowaki, right?" Risako smiled, happily. "Is he older? Younger?"

"Younger- just a bit."

"Is he handsome?"

"Yeah, well," Hiroki huffed. "I guess so."

"Do you have a picture?"

His cheeks burned. "Yes, but I'm a bit embarrassed to admit it."

"Let's see it!" She clasped her hands under her chin, batting her lashes. Despite that he sensed impending doom, Hiroki sighed.

As though she was asking him to do some tedious chore, he pulled out his wallet, taking a hidden picture of Nowaki out from behind a credit card. Reluctantly, he handed it over.

"Oh?" She blinked, staring at it.

"What?" Hiroki glared, annoyed at her lack of endless compliments.

"It's the guy from the…" She looked up at Hiroki, cocking her head to the side. "He's a model?"

Hiroki smirked smugly. "No, he's not a model, he's just tall and handsome- that picture doesn't even do him justice."

"No, he is a model."

"No he's not. Just attractive."

"No, Kamijou-san, I've seen him in an ad. Let me think." She glared at the picture thoughtfully before gasping. "He was on TV the other day."

"What're you talking about? You're mistaking him."

"No, I definitely saw him on TV- on Tuesday."

"What?"

"Yes. His name is Kusama Nowaki, right?"

Hiroki's face paled. "What? How did you-? What TV ad? When?"

"He was modeling for a company- I don't know which. He was so handsome I didn't pay attention."

"You're definitely mistaken, okay?" Hiroki folded his arms, annoyed. "Nowaki is a pediatrician- well, in training… and he sometimes helps this guy with his floral shop-"

"Floral- that's it." Risako nodded. "He was a model in a florist commercial."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Yes. The other day I saw it on TV! That's how I heard his name. He advertised the flower special they were having and said that if customers said they heard about the ad to mention Kusama Nowaki and they'd get a discount!"

Hiroki's eye twitched. Why hadn't he heard about that?

"I didn't know he really worked there- I assumed he was a hired actor or model."

"Well, he can't act to save his life, because he sucks at lying." Hiroki tucked the picture away.

"But he's certainly attractive!" Risako exclaimed. "You're lucky to have such a gorgeous guy! Do you live together?"

"Yeah, I kind of wanted to introduce you to him," Hiroki sighed. "I think he's getting a bit jealous that I hang out with you so much."

"Oh?" She smiled. "That's not a problem, I would never date someone who works for my dad, again. Not ever."

He laughed. "I can understand that."

"So why do you think Yoh isn't attracted to women exclusively?"

Hiroki frowned. "Well, you know how you said professor Miyagi would comfort you, even though he had no feelings for you?"

Risako huffed. "Aren't you he one who changed the subject?"

"Yeah, but… the reason why I think he may like guys, too is… he sort of..." He thought back to the day his lover and he had reconciled their relationship in the library. Sighing, he flushed and sank down in his seat.

Risako arched a brow after her eyes narrowed. "Spill."

Softly, making sure to keep his voice very quiet so no one would hear, Hiroki explained how Nowaki had left for America, leaving details (like how Nowaki's had told him beforehand) out, until the end of the tale; explaining how he returned and how he'd broken things off after moving; how Nowaki had come to the school to convince him to come to the restaurant; how his plane had been late, so he went to the school, blindly clinging to the hope that Hiroki would be there; and then he explained, quite quickly, how Miyagi had been there, had tried to comfort him, and how Nowaki had burst in at just the right time and pulled him out.

He also skipped the part about having sex in the library, as he didn't feel that was relevant to the point he was trying to convey.

"So, I don't know if he was messing around or what but… it seemed like… he… was serious." Hiroki finished, shrugging. He didn't want to tell her that her ex-husband was doing her little brother.

He knew that if he left all the pieces of the puzzle lying scattered across the table, that she was smart enough to put it together and figure everything out for herself.

Maybe if she thought that her ex-husband liked men, she wouldn't ask herself why she hadn't been good enough- why she couldn't make Miyagi fall in love with her. If it was something as uncontrollable as sexuality, maybe she would have the closure she needed.

Risako was quiet for a moment, reflecting, before she sighed, folding her arms. "I think that's just a bad habit of his."

"Mm?" Hiroki blinked.

"If he sees someone who's sad, he wants to comfort them; male or female, I don't think it makes a difference. I don't see people as gay or straight. I think it depends on the paths people take, and that people aren't confined to one particular sexuality unless they opt to confine themselves."

Hiroki blinked. "I don't know about that. I've tried to force myself to be attracted to women in the past, but to no avail."

"Really?" She huffed, squishing her boobs together. "This doesn't do anything for you?"

"Kind of-"

"See?"

"-grosses me out."

She let them go, annoyed, and Hiroki smiled nervously. He hadn't been lying, but his shin still stung from when she'd kicked him earlier. Perhaps he should have bitten his tongue.

"Well." She shrugged. "I don't know. I know Miyagi is pretty open-minded when it comes to pretty much everything and everyone and anyone- oh- except snakes… he hates snakes."

"Ah." Hiroki shrugged. "Well, he sure seems touchy-feely. Is he like that with women, too?"

"Mm… not so much." She shrugged. "He seems like he is with Shinobu, so maybe it's limited to men."

'Maybe you should get a clue.' Hiroki's brow twitched.

Risako sighed, folding her arms. "You know, I'm still trying to decide what I think about that. He may very well have been fooling around, but I think you're right. I think it sounds a lot like how he would comfort me- oh, you know? His family is a little different than mine. He kisses his mother on the mouth. Maybe his mother has made him feel better by kissing him in the past and so he thinks kissing people like that is okay. Although it's kind of a long stretch, you know? I really can't figure him out!" she huffed, folding her arms.

Hiroki felt a bit bad. Perhaps he'd only caused trouble by telling her that story. Sighing, he decided to spell it out for her.

"I think professor Miyagi may be sexually attracted to men. If you say he performed well in bed," he paused, trying not to gag, "then… maybe… he likes both but- I think he _prefers_ men."

Risako's eyes widened and she leaned forward, face flushing, slightly.

"Kamijou-san, did Yoh… and you-?"

Before she could even finish, Hiroki pushed at her shin gently with his foot, folding his arms and glowering at her.

"Well you seem like you're trying to imply something!" she huffed, folding her arms.

Sighing, Hiroki averted his gaze. He'd done it, now.

Risako was too smart not to notice his attempts to indicate something, but she was either not smart enough to catch on to what he was implying, or in denial. He couldn't tell which. Even if she was in denial, it was probably subconscious.

Annoyed, he shook his head. "I don't know. I just think that if he were gay… you wouldn't feel so bad."

Risako blinked a few times before smiling, reaching over and rubbing Hiroki's arm, gently.

He stared at her, confused and she smiled sadly.

"Thank you for trying to make me feel better, Kamijou-san… but… I know Yoh isn't gay."

Hiroki sighed. He gave up. He decided he'd just leave things alone. Not only was all this mind-game nonsense draining him of all of his energy… but if she did figure it out, there'd surely be consequences once Miyagi realized it was Hiroki who'd said something.

And Risako was right, to some extent. He did have some kind of sense of loyalty to his idiot superior.

But now he felt loyal to Risako, too.

"I wonder if this is what your friends feel like before they choose sides."

"I'm sorry?" Risako blinked.

"When you and professor Miyagi shared friends, and they all had to choose one of you to stay friends with… I wonder if any of them even knew how hard this kind of thing really is."

Risako frowned, pulling her hand away from his and looking down at the table sadly.

"I'm sorry, Kamijou-san. I don't want you to feel like you have to choose between Yoh or myself. If you feel like that, you _work _for Yoh- please don't put yourself in any kind of uncomfortable situation because of me. You obviously like him and you've been friends with him longer than you and I have- also… because you work for him, you should definitely choose-"

"I'm not choosing one over the other- I like you both," Hiroki huffed. "When people separate, they shouldn't feel like they need to choose sides. I'm sure you didn't ask them to."

"Of course not- I 'cheated,' so of course they'd choose Yoh," Risako huffed.

"So did he tell them to choose sides?"

"They felt obligated. It's not like we have that many shared friends- there were maybe four good friends and a lot of acquaintances. Most of them didn't 'choose Yoh' so much as they just stopped associating themselves with me." Sighing, she began playing with the straw in her glass, and the two were silent, for a moment.

"Are you two just about finished?" A waitress approached suddenly with the check.

Hiroki paused before getting an idea. "Actually, I was just about to tell her about my job for two hours." He smirked and Risako glared.

"HE'S PAYING."

-.=.-.=.-

**AN: **That one seemed considerably less interesting, sorry. Don't forget to review or comment, please- thanks!


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: **Up to 60 hours/week now z.z I'm so f-king tired… blegh.

In this chapter, Hiroki and Nowaki talk about jealousy and junk… thank you all for your kind reviews.

-.=.-.=.-

When Hiroki arrived home that night, he grimaced when he saw Nowaki's shoes. So the bastard had arrived home, early…

Great… now he'd have to deal with a disappointed Nowaki… but why hadn't Nowaki called or texted him? Reaching into his pocket, he found that his cell had been muted. Annoyed, he turned up the volume and checked his messages. He had about five.

(Akihiko) {15:21:42}: I saw your husband on TV.

(Kyouju) {16:01:15}: I saw your husband on TV!

(Mama) {16:38:59}: I saw Kusama-kun on TV!

(Papa) {16:55:06}: I saw your husband on TV.

(Nowaki) {17:10:33}: I got off early. Want to meet at the park?

Hiroki's head sunk guiltily as he hurried into the apartment.

Nowaki was sitting on the couch, watching TV with a sad expression on his face. Hiroki sighed, making his presence known.

"Nowaki?"

"Ah-!" Nowaki's face lit up and he turned off the TV, getting quickly to his feet and coming to greet Hiroki. "Welcome home, Hiro-sa…" he trailed off when he neared Hiroki and looked down at the floor, sadly.

Hiroki blinked. "What? What is it?"

"Nothing… how was your day?" Nowaki asked, quietly.

"Something wrong?" Hiroki huffed.

Nowaki's large, child-like eyes rose to meet Hiroki. He looked like an eight year old boy who hadn't receive an ice cream cone when everyone else had. "Where were you, Hiro-san?"

"At the café with Takatsuki-san."

"That girl?" Nowaki's brows furrowed slightly, though he tried to hide his annoyance.

"Yeah, why?"

"You smell like perfume."

Hiroki smirked, getting an idea. _"Flowery _perfume?"

"Yes." Nowaki looked sadly at Hiroki, misinterpreting the smirk.

"Speaking of _flowers, _I-"

"Hiro-san, are you," Nowaki cut him off and sighed sadly, averting his gaze. "Hiro-san, do you like girls?"

"No and you ruined my joke," Hiroki huffed.

"I'm sorry Hiro-san, but you spend so much time with that woman lately-"

"I've gone out with her two or three times to hang out. It's not like I've bought her _flowers_ or anything-" Hiroki grinned, readying to reveal to his lover that he had found out about his commercial.

"But you see her more than you see me!" Nowaki exclaimed, too distracted by his jealousy and sadness to catch onto Hiroki's ploy.

"Ugh, we're just friends, Nowaki, quit getting all jealous, you're starting to piss me off!" Hiroki glared.

"'Just friends' like how you and Usami-san are 'just friends,' or how you and that Professor you work with are 'just friends' or how-?"

"What're you implying, Nowaki?" Hiroki glared. "They are all my friends!"

"Friends you've kissed at one point or another." Nowaki muttered, quickly averting his gaze. He was noticeably ashamed of his own behavior, but he'd obviously been bottling this up for quite some time.

Hiroki stared at him, annoyed. "Excuse me, but at what point in my life did I EVER kiss Professor Miyagi?"

"I saw you." Nowaki folded his arms. "Even if you claimed we were broken up, it's not like it's okay to go-"

"Oh, drop that, already!" Hiroki snapped. "That didn't even happen."

"What do you mean it didn't happen? I saw it with my own eyes."

"You saw our faces close, nothing happened! And then you went and hit him, like some kind of imbecile! He's my BOSS, Nowaki- you can't let your emotions run you, you know."

"I believe you came to the place I work at and hit my sempai, did you not? In a fit of jealous rage?"

Hiroki's eyes widened and he drew his lips in as his cheeks flushed red. After a moment of making a lot of guttural noises, he began stammering. "I- that was… that was different! You SLEPT with him!"

"I slept on the floor and he slept on the floor, Hiro-san, that's all there was to it. Your professor was obviously trying to kiss you."

"Whatever, that's over and done with. In any case, none of that has anything to do with Takatsuki-san."

"It's just that it seems like all of your friends have- at one point or another- expressed interest in you- not that I can blame them, because I think you're wonderful, Hiro-san, and I'm sure I'm not the only one to think so, I'd never expect that, but-"

"Nowakiiii," Hiroki sighed, annoyed. "Professor Miyagi was just dicking around. As for Akihiko, he never expressed interest in me."

"But you slept with him."

"And if I hadn't, you and I would never have met." Hiroki glared and Nowaki fell silent.

"So it _was _Usami-san that made you cry in the park. You slept with him and then felt sad about it."

"I felt sad because my feelings were never returned, but that never even crosses my mind anymore. I still care a lot about Akihiko, because he's a very dear friend to me and he always will be, but I care a hundred thousand _million _times more about you."

"Hiro-san." Nowaki blinked, happiness emanating from his aura.

"Ugh." Hiroki glared. "Nowaki, I saw you on TV."

"Mm?" Nowaki blinked, snapping out of it.

"On TV. You were on TV!" Hiroki placed his fists on his hips. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Oh?" Nowaki stared, blankly. "What are you talking about, Hiro-san?"

"Weren't you on TV? I saw you on a TV through a glass window- you were advertising those flowers for your old guy friend's shop."

"He's not that old, Hiro-san, he has a small child-"

"Still! Why didn't you say anything about it?"

"I don't know. It's no big deal, just a small floral ad."

Hiroki sighed. "When I showed your picture to Takatsuki-san, she thought you were a model or actor because she recognized you from TV, but couldn't place where."

"You showed my picture to her?" Nowaki's face lit up. That was something people don't do if they're cheating- not that Hiroki's statement hadn't already convinced him… for now.

"Yeah, she asked if you were handsome and kept gloating about that old bastard I work with, so I showed her your picture. That's how I found out you were on TV- then I saw you."

"Then, you're really just friends with Takatsuki-san?" Nowaki asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, of course." Hiroki huffed before sighing. "Nowaki… I may have said stuff in the past to lead you otherwise but I really don't like women- sexually, that is."

"Oh? Just men exclusively, Hiro-san?"

"Yeah," Hiroki huffed, folding his arms. "And just _you_, exclusively."

Nowaki's face lit up again and Hiroki fought back a blush. "So quit getting annoyed or jealous or whatever. It's nice to have a female friend to talk to. I want you to meet her."

"Then I'd feel happy to, Hiro-san!"

"Good. Because she's standing outside."

"Hello." A knock came at the door and Nowaki gawked, running over to it and opening it. "I'm so sorry! Hiro-san has no manners when it comes to guests."

"What the hell, bastard? It was a surprise."

"How's your ankle doing? I heard you hurt it last time," Nowaki asked her as she entered, smiling.

"It feels just fine, thanks." She smiled nervously, glancing at Hiroki like she wanted to ask something, but then turning her gaze up to Nowaki. "He's far more handsome in person."

"I told you," Hiroki huffed, and Nowaki gleamed delightedly.

"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Kusama-kun, but I really had better be going."

"I'll call you a cab," Nowaki offered.

"Oh no, we took my car- but thank you." She smiled.

"Oh, be careful, then."

"Don't go yet, have some tea or something," Hiroki huffed.

"I would if I could, but I've got to get to bed. I need to get up very early. I just wanted to meet your darling boyfriend." She smiled. "We haven't even been properly introduced."

"Kusama Nowaki, it's nice to meet you." Nowaki smiled, bowing politely and then offering out a card.

"Takatsuki Risako, a pleasure." She shook his card after bowing and offered one herself. She then glanced at Hiroki. "Maybe sometime the three of us can get together for coffee?"

"Certainly, I'd enjoy that very much."

Hiroki felt his skin prickle at the tone of Nowaki's voice. He was certain Risako couldn't sense anything, but he knew Nowaki well enough to tell he wasn't being sincere.

"Well, take care then, Kusama-kun!" Risako smiled, turning and heading off.

After the door closed, Hiroki tapped his fingers against his arm after folding both arms across his chest. "Hm."

"Hm?" Nowaki turned to him, sensing an argument coming on.

"It's funny. I always had this image of you before today; the only few incidences where I saw this side of you were with men… and only once or twice."

"What do you mean?" Nowaki looked hurt.

"You grabbed me away from Akihiko twice- once when we met and once within the past year… you could have easily killed professor Miyagi with that shove to his throat, and then you were going to keep hitting him. I never thought of you of a particularly violent or overly possessive person before, but I think I'm starting to-"

"I'm not violent!" Nowaki defended himself, brows furrowed in frustration. "And in any case, you're one to talk! You throw things at your students, don't you?"

"Gently."

Nowaki narrowed his eyes, unbelievingly. "You've thrown books, bags, and other miscellaneous objects at me more times than I can count. If you're concerned I'm going to do something violent to Takatsuki-san, you have no need to worry."

"What if she were a man?" Hiroki huffed.

"She's not, or you wouldn't be hanging out with her- you said so yourself. You like hanging out with her because spending time around women is nice."

"I'm just sensing something, Nowaki. I ask for future reference. Am I not allowed to have male friends if I'm going to be with you?"

"I don't complain when you and that university professor 'Miyagi' or whatever his name is go out for drinks all night long, or if you stay the night at Usami-san's place discussing books or reading manuscripts or whatever it is that you do- it's not like I think you're going to cheat, it just makes me sad, is all. Forgive me for feeling sour when my lover chooses to spend time with others instead of with me when we see each other so rarely, as it is."

"It's not like that, Nowaki. Your schedule is unpredictable! If you want to see me more often, quit that stupid florist job! It's going to be the death of you, anyway!"

"Well I can't quit now, I just did that advertisement and gave my name out on TV so people could refer to me and get a discount. If I quit, it'll be worthless."

"That's the stupidest argument I've ever heard! Okay, so quit after the sale ends!"

"Why should I quit? It's not like you're going to stop hanging out with your friends."

"Damn straight, I'm not, and I shouldn't have to. You're missing the point, here, Nowaki! My friends are good for me, your job is horrible for you."

"The florist who works there is my friend!"

"Yeah, and you don't see me getting jealous of him!"

"That's different! He's married and has children!"

"Oh, so I can't have single friends?"

"Takatsuki-san is a cheater!"

Hiroki's eyes widened.

"You said so yourself, right? Your boss got a divorce because his wife cheated on him! If she was his wife, then that would make Takatsuki-san a cheater, right? So what makes you think I won't fear for the worst when it comes to the two of you?"

"Don't call her that," Hiroki snapped, glaring.

"You don-!"

"Shut up, Nowaki."

Nowaki blinked, hurt.

"Takatsuki-san is my friend. I like her. So don't go saying horrible things about her. There're two sides to every story, Nowaki. I did something stupid to get Akihiko to like me- something I'm not proud of. It didn't work. Takatsuki-san did some stupid things she's not proud of to get professor Miyagi's attention. It's stupid, but it's human error, Nowaki."

"So should I go do something shameful and stupid to get you to pay attention to me?" Nowaki asked, annoyed.

"You are."

Nowaki looked like he could very easily cry. Averting his gaze, he spoke up after a moment. "The more you rationalize why she's not a bad person for cheating, the more I fear you could very easily cheat, Hiro-san."

"Nowaki." Hiroki raised a hand up and gripped Nowaki's chin in his fingers, glaring at his eyes. "Look at my eyes. Tell me if you think I would really cheat on you- ever."

Nowaki's gaze locked onto his lover's for a long, quiet moment before he sighed.

"I don't think you'll cheat, Hiro-san."

"Good. Now say it and mean it."

"I do mean it."

"What reason would I have for cheating on you?"

"You don't need a reason- just a situation."

"So you think I'm too weak and horny to keep a promise?"

"What promise?" Nowaki pushed his hand away. "You act like the prospect of getting married, getting rings, or doing that sort of thing to symbolize our union are stupid, trite, and nugatory. How can you expect me to feel confident under these conditions? We share the same apartment, but we have our own rooms. Your parents know we're together, but you refuse to introduce me as anything more than your friend or roommate. You say you love me endlessly, but you're ashamed to hold my hand in public, and you scold me any time I show you open displays of affection. You even have to be in just the right mood to have sex! At what point am I supposed to feel loved, Hiro-san? Even if you did cheat on me, you know I'd take you back. You know I'd cling to you. But I took your advice and went to America, came back, and you dumped me. You're always… you're always shattering any confidence I have."

Hiroki sighed. He sort of figured this talk was coming. It'd been coming for nearly eight years.

"I got three texts today from three different people. They all referred to you as my husband- one of them was even from my dad."

Nowaki didn't respond. He wasn't sure if Hiroki was going anywhere with this.

"If they can tell, and I try to keep it hidden, then why can't you?" Hiroki folded his arms. "I do love you endlessly, Nowaki. Do I really have to say it ten times a day for you to believe it? What the fuck does a ring signify? It doesn't keep straight people from divorcing, obviously. We celebrate holidays together, make love at least fifty times a month, what more do you want?"

"Fifty times a week."

Hiroki gaped at his lover, but seeing that he'd cheered up a little, he glared.

"You cheeky bastard."

"Your father referred to me as your husband?"

"Yeah." Hiroki averted his gaze, flushing. "He may have been teasing, but I doubt it. Mom's more sensitive to my pride. She just said Kusama-kun."

"Why were they texting you about me?"

"The ad."

"Oh."

"Look, Nowaki, I love my job, and I love my life. It's not perfect but I've got a great job, and semi-okay friends, and I have you. I couldn't ask for anything more but not everyone is tolerant of us, and while I don't feel like we should just accept that, it's not like we can make all that drastic a change without becoming activists."

"We don't have to be activists, Hiro-san. We just have to be good people, and be ourselves. When people see that homosexuals are good people too, they may change their thinking. You said the chairman was surprisingly open, right?"

"His brat's a homo."

"Still," Nowaki sighed. "If an old and relatively conventional man like him is accepting, it just goes to show you that you can't really tell who is and who's not, and I think, for the most part, people don't really care that much- except religious people, but still..."

"I understand where you're coming from Nowaki, but it's not like it's about being gay- I just… I'm not an affectionate person in public. I admonish my students for being all love-dovey in public- my heterosexual students. So, it's just my personality."

"Is it? Or are you using that as a cover?" Nowaki asked.

"I've always been like this."

"You've always been gay, haven't you?"

Hiroki sighed. "I don't know, but I'm tired of arguing. And I'm tired of stressing out over this stupid Takatsuki-san thing… so I guess I'm just going to have to tell her… I'll just tell her I can't hang out with her, anymore."

"Mm." Nowaki gave an appreciative nod and Hiroki glowered.

"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TELL ME THAT'S NOT NECESSARY, YOU STUPID BASTARD!"

"I knew you were being insincere," Nowaki huffed.

"Forget it! I'm not going to stop being friends with people just because you don't like them!"

"Good, you shouldn't," Nowaki sighed. "I'll try not to be inappropriately suspicious."

"Y-you will?" Hiroki glared, unconvinced.

"I said I'll try. So yes, I **will** _try_."

"Fair enough," Hiroki sighed. "Text me when you know you'll be free, and I'll try to make it home or meet you half way, even if I have plans."

"If it's Hiro-san's friends and me, it's not too bad, but I do prefer having Hiro-san all to myself."

"Yeah, I know," Hiroki sighed. "Well, it's late. Let's get to bed."

"Hiro-san, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give you the impression that I'm violent or overly possessive- although I still side with the fact that you are a hundred times more jealous, possessive, and violent than I am… I'll try to become less jealous for Hiro-san."

"I'll try to be less of a coward about showing affection in public."

"It's okay. I want Hiro-san to be comfortable. I don't want to inconvenience you in any way, shape, or form."

"Yeah, well, we'd better get to it if we're aiming for fifty a week."

Nowaki stared, confused, before his cheeks etched with pink. "Ah- yes. Yes we should."

"Idiot."

-.=.-.=.-

**AN: **A little more drama in this chapter- hope this one wasn't too bad. I've been pretty tired, so I dunno if my stuff is any good or not. Way too tired to even use proper grammar… myeeeegh… off to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: **Another relatively boring chapter. Thank you for your compliments.

-.=.-.=.-

The following day, Hiroki entered the literature department utility room with some pretty smooth skin.

"Skin looks nice and sleek today, Kamijou," Miyagi muttered from the floor, his arm stuck behind the extended paper tray of the copy machine. "Little help?"

"Really?" Hiroki's bag dropped to the floor and his head dropped too, bangs swishing down in front of his eyes. "How did you… why were you…?" He raised his head, eyes practically glowing red. "Please explain yourself at once!"

"Don't be mad- YOU caused a paper jam, so I tried to fish the ruined page out and now I'm stuck because unlike SOME assistant-professors, I actually workout."

"What the hell does _that_ have to do with-?"

"My arms are so big and muscular, I got stuck inside."

"And you expect me to help you?" Hiroki folded his arms, annoyed. "First of all, what makes you think it was me?"

"The piece of paper is pink, and I use white."

"I only use pink because you switch it out on me every time you know I'll be using it!"

"And it aided me in catching you—pink-handed."

"Hardee har har! Secondly, I _do_ workout! More than you, probably!"

"I'm not talking about working out your _mind, _I'm talking about hitting the gym- you'd love it. Lots of attractive gay men in really tight-fitting clothes."

"Hm." Hiroki turned, grabbing a box of staples. "Well, this is all _I_ needed."

"I seriously am stuck, and I think I'm bleeding. Help me, Kamijou- you're my only hope."

"See you after lunch." Hiroki started out and Miyagi wriggled around, causing the copier to make a strange noise.

"I'm serious!"

"Ugh." Hiroki knelt beside him, rolling up his sleeves and peering inside. "The paper is on the floor! Why would you reach for it?"

"It's on the floor but inside the machine! It keeps acting funky, it's gotta be that paper."

"For the love of- what's that pink sticky stuff?" Hiroki squinted, peering inside.

"I tried to use kind of a make-shift gum-lasso to grab the pap-"

"No! Don't tell me. I want plausible deniability," Hiroki snapped, annoyed. "Okay, I think your arm is stuck because that thing is down."

"It is, it's that thing- that white thing." Miyagi pointed with his free hand.

"Everything else is black, so I kind of figured, Professor."

"Okay don't be snappy, just reach in and lift it up!"

"I don't know if my arm will fit inside."

"It will, you're scrawny."

"Do you want me to help you or not?" Hiroki snapped, moving closer to the man he hated most right now and slowly sliding his arm along his.

"Yes, please- your hair looks nice," Miyagi offered a compliment, somehow expecting it to make up for this horribly awkward and annoying situation. Obviously it made it worse.

"Ugh…" Hiroki leaned in further, pressing his cheek to Miyagi's chest. "This is going to be a little awkward."

"I won't complain, it really hurts."

"It's making a noise. If I move that thing, will it go?"

"Yeah, but it should free me up- we just have to move quick, okay?" Miyagi instructed.

"Okay, okay… fucking gum." Hiroki reached in further, carefully, leaning into Miyagi and squishing his arm into the machine as far as it would go.

"At what point does this _not_ seem like a reeeeaally bad idea?" Professor Saitou asked from the doorway.

Both men glanced up, then glared.

"Don't mind me, I just need staples… don't worry, I won't confirm the rumors."

Kamijou tossed up the box of staples he'd grabbed for himself, annoyed.

"Thanks." Their peer promptly left.

"Worthless piece of-!"

"Release it- release it!" Miyagi snapped.

"Okay, ready?"

"Yes!"

"Go!" Hiroki touched the white lever and lifted it.

"Ow ow ow ow ooowww!" Miyagi cried out as the machine turned on and Kamijou pulled him out, slamming the copy tray closed.

Multiple copies began printing, as a result.

Miyagi grabbed one, annoyed. The paper read:

"Professor Miyagi is a jerk."

"Thanks, Kamijou."

"Case and point, professor!"

"You're the one who-!"

"Oh, you're all bruised!" Hiroki took his superior's arm and inspected the awful bruise. "How long have you been in there?"

"Forty-five minutes."

"Is it numb?"

"Quite."

"So this doesn't hurt?" Hiroki poked the bruise roughly and Miyagi pulled away, glaring.

"Get out."

"Did you get all the gum?"

"Yeah, yeah." Miyagi threw it away.

"So check this out." Hiroki turned off the copier and then pushed it against the wall until the front lifted. "Reach underneath and grab the crumpled paper."

"Mm." Miyagi knelt down, grabbing the paper and then moving out of the way. Hiroki let it down and patted the top of the copier.

"Neat how common sense works, huh?"

"Common sense would tell you not to smart-off to your superior, whom you've already pissed off," Miyagi huffed, grabbing up the duplicate copies and rubbing his arm.

"You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, get out of my sight."

Hiroki huffed, heading off. He'd never found himself out of Miyagi's favor before, and despite that he'd always dreamed of the bastard letting off on all the annoying teasing, he felt a little bad, now.

'Oh well- maybe he'll do some work.'

"Kamijou-sensei, I have a question about the last assignment you dispensed!" A student caught up with him and he blinked, walking slower as she caught up and began rambling about why she felt she deserved a better grade. In truth, she was one of his better students, but the last effort noticeably strayed from her typical works, so he'd given her a B.

"It's just that the subject-matter in question contradicted a lot of my personal beliefs, and so I found it hard to identify with the author's…" the student continued, thirteen minutes later as Hiroki stood outside of the men's restroom, eagerly waiting for her to finish.

"Look," he interrupted, at last, "You've obviously given this a lot of thought, but the grade lowered because you wrote a report about the wrong book."

"I'm sorry?"

"There was an excerpt in the text book. You were supposed to find the actual book at the library and read it, and do the essay on that- but the book you chose wasn't referenced in our text at all. You got the right title- but it wasn't the right one. You need to be more careful of that in the future. I actually had to go out of my way to read that piece of crap book, too, just so I could grade your essay. Believe me, it wasn't an enjoyable experience for either of us. Tell you what, if you can make it up to me by recommending a really good book I haven't read, I'll replace that B with an A at the end of the semester."

"H-how long do I have?" She blinked.

"Until the end of the semester."

"I'm on it!" She glared, determined, then took off.

'Good luck, I've read every book in the universe,' Hiroki mentally exaggerated before heading into the restroom for some much-needed release.

After urinating and washing his hands and arms (to rid them of any ink that the copy machine had left evident traces of), he headed to his first class.

Four classes later, he found his mind wandering to how upset Nowaki had been, the previous evening. He felt a bit bad making Nowaki think that his impression had been tainted due to his relatively childish behavior. In truth, he still felt he'd acted far more shamefully over the years he'd known the man, so he didn't understand how Nowaki could take it to heart so easily, but he knew that no matter what he did, Nowaki would always smile at him and love him.

That dummy had this ideal image of Hiroki that he really couldn't understand… which was probably why it made him feel so bad to think that Nowaki was inwardly regretting his behavior because of how his image would reflect in his lover's eyes.

In truth, he still adored Nowaki very much, and even if he kept up the annoyingly infantile attitude he held the day prior, he would still love the idiot.

Sighing, he glanced up at the clock, then once more at the text, finishing the paragraph he'd been reading before closing the book. "That's all for today, everyone be sure to bring umbrellas tomorrow, the weatherman reported a 100% chance of rain and you need to protect your books… and yourselves, I guess."

The students rolled their eyes and filed out in an organized manner. After they all left, he gathered his things and headed to the office.

He found Miyagi sitting at his desk, quietly reading. Sighing, he sat at his own desk and began grading a test he'd distributed during his third class. He wondered if Miyagi was still mad at him, but didn't care to ask. He didn't like this feeling and didn't want to risk embarrassing himself by asking, only to have Miyagi shun him or snap at him in confirmation.

"I see how it is," Miyagi huffed from across the room suddenly, and Hiroki glanced up, wondering if he was on the phone or not. He didn't appear to be.

"I'm sorry?" Hiroki asked.

"You get all buddy-buddy with my ex-wife and I bet she told you a bunch of horrible things about me, so now you hate me. Hmpf."

"Do you use drugs recreationally?" Hiroki huffed, going back to his papers.

"Ah-!" Miyagi glared. "Did she tell you I do?"

"No." Hiroki groaned, rolling his eyes. "You idiot. She has nothing but nice things to say about you, all the time- she's obviously still in love with you. I'm astounded at the things she says- like that you're attractive and," he shuddered, "good in bed..."

"She said that?" Miyagi perked, stroking his chin like an idiot.

"Yeah- anyway, it's you who's mad at me, right?"

"I'm not mad at you." Miyagi blinked. "I was just sad that you were ignoring me all day because of Risako."

"How did you gather that impression? You're mad at ME, because of this morning!"

Miyagi stared, blankly.

"The copy machine- you know… that huge blue bruise on your arm?"

"Oh, that." Miyagi waved the matter away. "I wasn't really mad, I was just kidding."

"Ugh, really? I can usually tell when you're kidding. You sure you're not just bored and taking back your anger so you can be a dick to me?"

"I wasn't angry." Miyagi huffed. "Why would I be? You helped me."

"Because I was sort of the cause."

"AHA-! YOU ADMIT IT." Miyagi pointed and Hiroki gritted his teeth, grabbing up some supplies.

"I'm leaving." He stood and a crumpled up pink ball of paper bounced off of his forehead.

"Stay, Kamijou! Tell me some more of the wonderful things Risako says about me!" Miyagi, still seated in his office chair, looped his finger through Hiroki's belt loop and rolled out of the office with him when the man took off.

"Professor, I'm really leaving- I can't stand being around you- you completely drain me of all my energy."

"That's my intent."

"Kamijou! Miyagi!" The dean approached the two from behind, (behind Hiroki, anyway, Miyagi could see him perfectly and merely waved hello as he approached).

"Hello, Chairman," Miyagi greeted. "Now you may have heard some craaazy stories from silly professor Saitou, but I assure you-"

"Yes, I'm well aware of your weak attempt at fixing the copy machine, but I've decided that the bruise on your arm is penalization enough." The dean shot him a glare and Miyagi smiled, boyishly. "I wanted to tell the two of you that there's going to be a fire drill this afternoon around four, so be sure to prepare for it."

"Yippy," Miyagi sighed, annoyed. "Why do we have to have one every three months, anyway? That's too much!"

"Maybe because of certain professors who smoke in an office filled with books?" the dean suggested, and Miyagi stroked his chin with his free hand, thoughtfully.

"Hey, maybe that's it… nope, can't be me- I've quit."

How this idiot didn't get fired for his insubordination was beyond Hiroki as he sighed. "Professor… Chairman… I need to use the restroom."

"Let him go."

Miyagi released Hiroki's belt loop and crossed one leg over the other, folding his arms. "So, Chairman, that meeting on Wednesday… there any way to get out of it?"

"Ugh, if there was, I'd be sure to jump on it, but unfortunately, it's required.

"So I had this idea- we'll need balloons, pictures of each of our faces, and we'll have to bring in extra suits, but if we pull it off, we can skip and go golfing."

"Golfing you say…? What color balloons?"

"It doesn't really matter."

Hiroki tried hard to stop listening as he headed off. The humor in this school was too foreign to him and, being the strict instructor that he was, he didn't care to understand it.

-.=.-.=.-

After the ridiculous fire drill was over and everyone was heading inside, Hiroki caught sight of the dean's brat, sneaking in with some of the students.

"Excuse me, assistant professor Kamijou," a student distracted Hiroki and he glanced down at him.

"Yes?"

"There's only going to be three minutes of class when we get back- three at the most. Can I head off to my job to avoid the crowded halls? It's my first week and I want to leave a good impression."

"Go ahead, my impression of you is already low."

"Ah-!"

"Just go." Hiroki waved him off, annoyed.

"Um, I didn't bring an umbrella today. Can I leave my books in the classroom?"

Hiroki glowered at the teen. "Of course I'll take care of them, but you're up shit creek next week. Go to your job. What're you- a fry cook?"

"Huh? No, I just got a job at that floral shop your boyf… I mean that… I… um… bye." The student hurried off and Hiroki's brow twitched.

"Jackass." He turned, trying to remember what he had been about to do and he bumped into the dean's brat.

"Hello."

"Gyah!" Hiroki backed away and glared. "What?"

"You looked at me like you had something to say, so I came over."

"Mf… I didn't have anything to say TO you, it's ABOUT you and to Professor Miyagi. I forgot to tell him the other day."

"About me? What is it?" Shinobu demanded.

The attitude of teenagers these days! Hiroki's brow twitched but he paused, considering the hard time Miyagi claimed to have with this kid. Since Miyagi 'had a hard time' with this brat but had no qualms about giving 'Kamijou-senseeeei!' shit, then he figured this brat must have some kind of personality.

The kid had to be tough. He used to think Miyagi was demented for wanting to go out with a kid, and then his thoughts shifted to thinking Shinobu was demented for wanting to go out with Miyagi, but after meeting Risako, he just gave up on thinking about the 'whys' and 'hows' with regard to how people who fall in love supposedly 'think.'

"Did you know your family knows?" he asked, finally.

"Knows what?" Shinobu's eyes widened and Hiroki found himself slightly impressed- or depressed, he couldn't determine which.

He was impressed that Shinobu actually had the brain enough to piece two and two together but depressed that he was impressed; because it would be natural to assume what the teen obviously had going through his head, and this only indicated the level of stupidity of those he hung around with.

Oh well. For sanity's sake, he'd tell himself that Shinobu was smart and that the rest of the world may not necessarily be composed primarily of morons.

"Your family knows- or suspects- that you're gay- and in love with Miyagi."

"Did Risako say that?" Shinobu asked, brows furrowing.

So he didn't know that they knew.

Hiroki remembered being a gay teen and thinking there was no way his family could possibly know. (Of course he realized now, at 29, that his mother had known since he was young. Not since he was 10 perhaps, but since his early teen years, at least…)

"Well Takatsuki-san- I mean Risako-san knows for sure that you're gay and in love with Miyagi. The dean just insinuated that you're gay. He may have been referring to someone else in your family, but I doubt it."

Shinobu averted his gaze, a bit guiltily. "Risako knows I love Miyagi?"

"I don't think she knows you two are in a relationship- _are_ you in a relationship?" Hiroki asked.

"What do you care?" Shinobu glared at him. "Why do you keep getting involved with the people around me?"

"Listen brat-"

"No, _you_ listen. I don't like you. I don't trust you. My dad thinks the world of you even though you're gay, but he thinks I'm annoying. Why do you keep hanging out with my sister? You have no interest in women- are you trying to expose me and Miyagi?"

Hiroki glared, falling silent. The audacity of this brat.

"I knew it. So why do you feel compelled to do that? You're gay and Risako says you have some kind of stud for a lover… but I still think you want Miyagi."

"The way you say that implies that I, myself, am NOT a stud," Miyagi huffed as he materialized beside Shinobu, and a dumbfounded and slightly disturbed Hiroki.

"Ah-! Miyagi!" Shinobu turned, shocked. Hiroki blinked, having just noticed him as well.

"I am a stud, too- quit being mean, Shinobu-chin," Miyagi huffed, arms folded. "What's going on here? If your father catches you looming around, don't you think he'll get suspicious?"

"I came to see him, so what's suspicious about that?" Shinobu huffed.

"Excuse me, I'll just be heading back to class." Hiroki tried to get away from the lover's brawl and Miyagi looped a finger around his belt loop to keep him from escaping, though the professor continued arguing with Shinobu.

"Shinobu-chin, you need to quit picking on Kamijou here. He is my beloved assistant and he saved my life this morning- although, to be fair, it was his fault I almost died-"

"You didn't almost die and even if the paper jam was my fault, you reaching inside wouldn't be. If I brought a crocodile into the office and you decided to be an idiot and stick your head between its teeth, would it be my fault if it clamped its jaws down on you?"

"It would- you brought the crocodile and it hurt so much!"

"It wouldn't!" Kamijou snapped, annoyed. "And don't say it like it actually happened! Learn to differentiate between reality and hypotheticals! Urrg! Let go- I still have a class to get to."

"Shinobu-chin, apologize to Kamijou-sensei," Miyagi implored and Shinobu turned, heading off. "Hey!"

Shinobu paused and glanced over his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Kamijou-sensei. Sorry my ex-boyfriend is an idiot and sorry you're-"

"Hey!" Miyagi whined, dropping Kamijou and heading after the teen. "Don't be like that! I'm trying to play peacemaker, don't make me cry."

"Stop with the 'cry' bullshit, Miyagi- you don't cry."

"I cry! Every time Shinobu-chin says mean things like that, I cry… on the inside."

"Risako said that you kissed Kamijou-_sensei_," Shinobu whispered.

Miyagi blinked, startled. "She said _**what**_?"

"Hiroki stopped, turning to glance at the teen.

"It's true, isn't it? She said that when you feel guilty around people, you feel obligated to do stupid things like kiss them or have sex with them. She says it's a bad and strange habit… if that's all this is, Miyagi- if you want to be nice- then just stop."

Miyagi was silent and he stared at the teen. "You know that's not the case."

"Sure, I know it… just like she did," Shinobu huffed, turning and heading off. "Leave me alone for now. We'll talk later at your place. I'm really just looking for my dad. He left something at home and I had to retrieve it for him."

The teen disappeared into the crowded hallway and Miyagi glanced around to make sure no one was watching or had heard.

Kamijou sighed, approaching Miyagi from behind.

"I think that may have been… sort of my fault."

"It's ALL your fault." Miyagi glared at him, losing the smile he usually had in his eyes. "This all started when you started palling around with Risako. Tell me everything you said to her."

Kamijou bristled noticeably, averting his gaze. "I… I have to get to class."

"Fine. You're taking me out tonight and buying me a beer and you're going to tell me everything."

"I can't," Kamijou muttered, knowing his superior and friend was glowering at him but refusing to meet his gaze. "That's personal."

"You told her I kissed you."

"Well, you-"

"If you've got a problem with me, Kamijou- take it up with me. Don't go blabbering about your perception of my bad habits to other people. You don't see me whining to everyone that you throw things as hard as you can at your students, do you?"

Hiroki glared at him. "I throw them gently."

Miyagi stood there for a moment, analyzing the situation, before turning and heading off. "Don't try to make me laugh when I'm in a bad mood! I like being mad."

"Whatever, you're still an idiot," Hiroki mumbled, loud enough for the other to hear and he turned, heading off to his class as well.

-.=.-.=.-

That evening, when Hiroki arrived home, Nowaki was in the bathroom, taking a shower.

After the day he'd had, he wanted sex, sex, and more sex. Nothing like some good ol' sexxin' to distract you from your woes- or something like that. After debating in his head, Hiroki decided to be a bit playful, and he stripped off his clothes and climbed beneath the covers, reaching over on the night stand and grabbing a book.

When he heard the shower turn off, he stiffened, waiting excitedly for his lover to come out of the bathroom and notice him.

Nowaki exited, a towel draped over his head as he dried his hair.

He was naked, aside from that.

Hiroki felt his groin grow hot and he tore his gaze from his lover's soft but large organ so he could continue pretending to be cool. He knew Nowaki would see right through him since he could feel his own cheeks burning, but he had to at least pretend to be composed and nonchalant.

Nowaki pulled the towel from his head, began drying his arms and then blinked, noticing Hiroki.

"Hi-Hiro-san!" He flushed, slightly, covering up. "When did you…?"

Hiroki set the book on the night stand and cocked his head to the side. "We're on seven… I thought we were aiming for fifty a week? I'm beginning to doubt your dedication to our commitment."

Nowaki's eyes widened and then he smiled, approaching his lover and getting slowly and carefully on the bed, leaning forward and kissing the older man, lovingly.

-.=.-.=.-

The two lay in bed together, relaxing quietly as they watched the news on the TV.

"Hiro-san?" Nowaki mumbled softly. It was nearing nine o'clock.

"Huh?" Hiroki muttered, equally as quiet.

"Regarding… regarding Takatsuki-san…?"

"Mm?" Hiroki let out a sigh through his nose.

"You mentioned that you enjoy having a female friend because… they expect you and encourage you to talk freely with them."

"Yeah. It's pretty nice… but you can talk freely with me, Nowaki."

Nowaki frowned, averting his gaze. Hiroki eyed him.

"What's that look for?"

"I don't know," Nowaki muttered with a sigh. "I just am still a little jealous, I suppose. You can talk freely with her… but you don't talk freely with me… so I know I really… can't talk freely with you."

"You can, too," Hiroki huffed, digging his chin into Nowaki's chest as he glared at him. "If I yell or shout or stammer- well…"

"Well?" Nowaki pouted.

"Nowaki, you know my real feelings, don't you?" Hiroki sighed. "Only you."

"Mm." Nowaki smiled after a moment. "Sure, Hiro-san."

Hiroki's expression changed drastically. He looked very unimpressed.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"N-no. Nothing." Nowaki smiled, nervously.

"You bastard- what the hell? You don't know how I feel after seven- eight years?"

"After seven or eight years, you still don't talk freely with me and you still never initiate anything and you still always protest when I want to touch you, hold you, or talk about-"

"I can't believe this," Hiroki groaned, sitting up. "Nowaki, seriously-"

"I know!" Nowaki sat up, too, equally as upset. "How am I supposed to have confidence when Hiro-san never reinforces it? If anything, you punish me any time I-"

"How do I punish you?"

"You get mad when I try to hold hands in public."

"We've been through this. I'll try to do it more often- you told me not to!"

"I know but I've been thinking about it and it's been bothering me. I don't want to show an uncool side of myself to Hiro-san, but how can you expect me to be aware of your so-called feelings when you shoot me down so often?"

"Nowaki!" Hiroki snapped, angrily. "I never shoot you down! What the hell? We just had sex!"

"And it was wonderful and you were wonderful, but that's like the first time you've ever instigated."

"So what? It just proves I'm making an effort! Besides, what about your birthday, when I sucked you off?"

"That was also a rarity!"

"So what if they're rarities? That's what makes it special!"

"If I were rarely kind or loving to you, would you feel special?" Nowaki asked.

"That's not what I meant."

"Think about it, though," Nowaki huffed. "If I treated you the way you treat me, how would you feel?"

"Honored!"

"Hiro-san." Nowaki frowned, sadly. "I'm serious. Think about it. Didn't I tell you, long ago, that I wish you'd listen more earnestly to what I have to say?"

Hiroki sighed, annoyed. "Nowaki, is this about me instigating or something else?"

"I just don't like walking on egg shells all the time, and that's almost always how it is with you. I have to decipher your mood, then hope that I'm not wrong when I approach you… it makes me hesitant to… approach you."

"If you're talking about sex, there's no problem there. Even when I'm pissed off, I enjoy it- if you're ever in the mood, just tackle me to the ground and take me, I'm all over that," Hiroki snapped, though his cheeks burned crimson.

Nowaki flushed slightly. "R…really?"

"Well I mean if someone dies or something, don't go and just start humping me, but yeah… at the end of the day, even when I'm tired, I'm always willing… well… give me a break between days like today, though. That was pretty rough."

"But… what about when it's not sex?" Nowaki asked, reluctantly.

"I told you before. If you have something you want to talk about, talk about it with me. Don't keep that type of thing bottled up. I love you."

Nowaki smiled happily. "Hiro-san… do I really have to wait a couple days?"

"Ugh." Hiroki's brow twitched but he didn't want to shatter Nowaki's confidence or whatever. "Have at me. Let's shoot for thirteen."

"Before that," Nowaki placed his hand on Hiroki's and glared at him, determined.

"Wh…what?" Hiroki asked, beginning to rethink this whole 'openness' thing.

"You have to share something from your childhood, and I'll share something from mine."

"What? Share what? A toy?"

"No, a memory! Or a story, or a secret! A toy? Hiro-san, don't be silly."

"Huh? From my childhood?" Hiroki asked, confused.

"Yes. Prove you're going to be more open."

"You sound like a girl."

"Hiro-san, that's the exact opposite of what I'm asking you to do!"

"Okay, okay, jeez," Hiroki sighed. "I… when I was a kid, about ten or so, my mother and father enrolled me in a bunch of activities and I felt overwhelmed by all of them, but I stuck with them and would push myself to do well and the better I did, the harder I wanted to try to become great at them… in the end, I burned myself out pretty bad."

"That's it?" Nowaki blinked.

"Pretty much. That's why, when you try to work so much, doing more than one job at once and studying and catering to me, I worry about you. I don't want you to be tired or sad, I would cry every day back then and I know I was just a child but, like I said, I worry about you."

"Hiro-san… I'm ready for sex!"

"IDIOT!" Hiroki snapped, annoyed. "You said you'd share, too! Now alleviate my embarrassment by sharing something humiliating!"

"Ah." Nowaki thought. "Well, when I was a child, I ran away from home when I found out I wasn't really my parents' child… I ended up at a park, where some kid gave me some advice and tattled on me so the cops reunited me with my parents. It was pretty embarrassing."

"Ran away?" Hiroki blinked. "And a kid tattled on you?"

"Yep."

"How old were you?"

"I don't know… six?" Nowaki shrugged. "I think I was six or so."

"Then I'd be ten."

"Aha, yeah, I guess. That was probably around the same time you were going through your overwhelming time?"

"When I was ten years old, I happened upon this kid in the park who had run away… on a bike- he had a flat tire."

Nowaki blinked. "I had a flat tire, too. What a strange coincidence."

"You rode your bike when you ran away?"

"Yeah, and I got a flat, so I set down on a swing… then…"

"Then that was…"

"You?" The two blinked, pointing at one another.

"Wow! Hiro-san! It's like we were fated to be together!"

"Ugh… it sounds like something out of a mediocre romance novel…" Hiroki muttered, massaging his temple, annoyed.

"But Hiro-san, how amazing is that? Way back then, we met!" (1).

"I thought you were older than me- have you ALWAYS been tall?"

"Huh? Yes, since I was a small small child, I was a tall tall child."

"Mf." Hiroki sighed. "I can't believe something so weird happened… well, that worked out well, didn't it?"

"Yes… I was reunited with my parents and they still treasure me as their child, today." Nowaki smiled.

"Well did you have something embarrassing to note?" Hiroki huffed.

Nowaki frowned, thinking. "Well, I do have kind of a complex about my height… I always have…"

"Eh?" Hiroki blinked. "A complex? Isn't it nice?"

"To be tall?"

"Of course. You have like… the perfect body." Hiroki flushed and Nowaki smiled.

"Thank you."

"Even Takatsuki-san thought you were a model."

"Mm." Nowaki sported a sour expression at the mentioning of her name. Hiroki rolled his eyes.

"Okay, well… does it still bother you?"

"Not me so much, but it makes me wonder if it annoys Hiro-san…"

"Your height?"

"Yeah."

"No, not at all." Hiroki blinked. "Why would it?"

"You got mad when we first met and threw books at me because I was so tall… you said it pisses you off."

"Oh… that wasn't because- that's got nothing to do with you! I'm just mad because I'm not tall. If I were tall, those stupid students wouldn't whisper to each other or text in class," Hiroki huffed, folding his arms. "But it's alright. To even things out, I throw very heavy things at people."

Nowaki laughed, softly. "Well I'm glad you've found a crutch."

"You bastard."

Nowaki pulled Hiroki closer. "It doesn't bother you that I have to lean down to kiss you, Hiro-san?"

"No… I like that you're tall. You're easier to spot in crowded places."

"That's not what I asked." Nowaki smiled cheekily and Hiroki huffed.

"It makes me happy," Hiroki muttered, cheeks burning and Nowaki laughed, holding him close. "Okay. Thirty eight to go."

"Ugh."

-.=.-.=.-

**AN: **End of this chapter. Next chapter, Risako confronts Miyagi about her feelings and she happens upon some revelations. Neat shit. Stay tuned or whatever.

(1) This actually happened in the manga. I am referencing it and didn't make it up- a lot of fans found this to be somewhat cliché, and while I agree, I still thought it was cute—though that may be because we're so deprived of Egoist in the manga, lately, that I'm happy with whatever Nakamura throws our way . whatever.


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: **Thank you for your kind reviews. I appreciate all feedback, from a simple 'I liked this' or 'this sucked' to elaborate reviews, haha. What I appreciate most is constructive criticism because it helps me develop as a writer. You know I started writing when I was 12 years old and my fics were in all caps, had no spacing, and was usually funky colored. That's right. I was once a n00b with zero talent. Now I'm an experienced writer with little talent. Progression. That's what it's all about XD

That, and doing the hokey pokey and turning yourself about. 8|b.

Thanks to the reviewer who educated me on bad versus badly. I'm glad to know the difference, now. I love those types of reviews, most. Well actually I love like 3 page reviews most, but ego aside, I like improving through reader feedback.

-.=.-.=.-

Miyagi hummed distractedly as he stacked some pink papers into the copy machine. He knew Kamijou had a hundred page report to print the following day, but the man was getting smart.

He stacked ten pieces of white paper on top of the ninety pink ones he'd inserted and closed the tray with a triumphant smirk.

THAT would teach assistant professor Kamijou not to call him unprofessional.

"Wait, I'm mad at you!" Miyagi snapped at the pink paper as though it were Kamijou. He fished them out and put the papers away with a huff. "I forgot."

He heard a buzzing coming from the top shelf of a tall book shelf and sighed. He'd left it up there to keep himself from texting Shinobu, since he wanted to give the teen time to reach out to him, but now that someone was trying to get a hold of _him_, it was going to be a pain to grab the damn thing.

He pulled over a rolling chair and made sure it would stay before carefully climbing onto it and grabbing his phone. He plopped down into the chair as he answered with a tired stretch.

"Nn…heellloooo….?"

"Miyagi?" Shinobu asked and Miyagi sat up straight.

"Shinobu-chin. Glad to hear from you!"

"This is Miyagi? You sounded funny."

"I stretched."

"Oh, are you still at work?"

"Yeah, are you at your place or mine?"

Shinobu paused before replying. "I'm at… yours."

"Why the hesitation?"

"We need to talk."

"I know."

"You do know- so I took your refusal to come home as a sign that you either don't want to or don't care to."

"No," Miyagi argued exhaustedly. The truth to the matter was he had to fight to resist going home, because he didn't know if Shinobu would want him there. "I just wanted to give you some time."

"I told you I wanted to talk," Shinobu reminded him.

"Shinobu, it's not that I can't read you, it's just that I thought it would be best to give you some time to think some things through."

"I've thought everything through. I've been ready to talk since today at your university. I just figured it wasn't appropriate to discuss, there."

"No, it wouldn't have been. I'll come home now. Give me some time. I'm heading to the garage right now." Miyagi grabbed up his things and headed out.

"Fine. See you soon."

"Shinobu-" Miyagi started, but Shinobu hung up.

"Whatever," Miyagi sighed, texting "I love you" to his irritable lover.

He looked up as he approached his car and gawked.

His car had been keyed. "What the fuck IS this?" He fell to his knees and touched the horrible scrape. "THIS IS **NOT** MY DAY!"

"That's what you get for being a no good, lousy, piece of shit husband!"

"Huh?" Miyagi turned, looking over his shoulder to find a drunken Risako leaning against another car; a very yellow car. His brow twitched.

"YOU did this? What the hell, Risako?"

"What the hell, Risako, INDEED!"

"Huh?" Miyagi's brow twitched.

"While you're married to me it's all '_ooh, wee_,'" she waved her hands about and Miyagi stood, actually worried about her. How drunk was she? "'_Risako's no good, I'm in love with a photograph_-' but now suddenly you have someone and even kissing GUYS is okay for you- what the hell is your malfunction?"

"I don't follow," Miyagi muttered, unlocking his car. "Get in and sit down- why would you wear seventeen centimeter heels if you were going to get this drunk?" (1)

"Seventeen centimeters?" She snorted. "You sure like to exaggerate when it comes to _that _sort of thing."

"What? Get in the fucking car and sit down before you fall over!" he snapped as she began staggering backward. He grabbed her arm and pulled her forward, catching her and trying to help her into his car but she wrestled with him a bit.

"Stop pretending to be nice!" she snapped and he finally shoved her (as gently as possible) into his car and fell on his rump on the cold asphalt, exhausted.

She glared at him and he sighed, recomposing himself and looking her over. "Risako, what is this? You get all dolled up just to come down here, wait for who-knows-how long-?"

"Three hours."

"Ugh… and just to key my car?"

"I didn't get dolled up for YOU! I got dolled up for yet another SHITTY date!"

"And because it was shitty, you keyed _my_ car." The man arched a brow, intrigued.

"No, I keyed your car because YOU'RE shitty!"

"Uh… huh." Miyagi scratched his head. "Well, aside from my evident shittiness, what else possessed you to make an ass of yourself and come down here to strike up this ever-delightful conversation with me?"

"I'm not going to ask why you can't love me back and stuff. I don't even care, anymore. If you feel guilty and take me back because of that, I can live with it… I just want-!" She leaned forward to kiss him and he raised a hand to her lips, stopping her.

She blinked, hurt, and he sighed.

"This isn't going to be easy for me. You're right. I've done a lot of really stupid things because of guilt or just pure stupidity, but Risako, just because I don't love you doesn't mean I don't care about you. Our marriage was a disaster because-"

"I know… I cheated… I'm sorry." She lowered her head in shame and Miyagi placed his hands on either of her cheeks, raising her head and sighing.

"No. It wasn't all your fault. That wasn't even a contributor. I couldn't feel betrayed if I never considered you my wife. Listen, our dating, our marriage, all of that happened because I let myself get pushed around by other people and guilted into doing things that I didn't want to because I didn't have any of my own feelings sorted out. You got hurt- often, and badly and I feel horrible about that every day."

"You don't seem like it bothers you at all," she whispered meekly, staring downward.

"Because if I show you how bad I feel, I'm scared it'll put me in another situation where I'll act out of guilt. I know you love me. No one blames you- I'm adorable."

"You swine." Her brows knitted together.

"But I don't love you the same way. You _are_ important to me, but you and I won't work. I did finally sort things out. I'm sorry I didn't figure it out before we got together. We wouldn't have gotten together if I'd just gotten over all that shit about sensei before then. If I had allowed myself to move on instead of clinging to the past, I'd have had my shit together back then… or at least I would have been transitioning, but now that I do, I _have_ found someone. Someone I love more than words can express. This person's nothing like you-"

"Gee thanks."

"Oh… that came out bad," Miyagi noticed a little too late. After a pause, he continued. "Okay… it's just that for me… I needed a certain kind of person to break through my defenses and force me to get over all that stuff. Patience and kindness and tolerance are all wonderful traits and they're traits you have, and they're traits that someone who's not a piece of shit swine will love you endlessly for eventually… But I needed someone pushy and stubborn and a little crazy." He smiled as he thought of Shinobu and Risako's eyes welled with tears.

"I can be pushy and stubborn- and you see the mark on your car! I can be crazy, too!"

"Um I have no interest in THAT kind of crazy." Miyagi's brow twitched and Risako sobbed.

"I can change! I know I've been trying for years to mold myself into the type of person you will love, but I just- maybe I just haven't been trying hard enough? If I'm more direct about it, you can tell me-"

"Risako," Miyagi sighed, annoyed. "I was the one who needed to change, and now that I have, I'm probably not the right guy for you. You don't need to change- except I would highly consider not getting this drunk ever again- this is a bit unappealing."

"Stop turning my feelings into a joke!"

"Aww, I'm sorry, I'm not trying to," Miyagi sighed, messing up his bangs, annoyed. "I just… have a bad habit of laughing things off no matter what setting I'm in."

"I know," Risako muttered, sniffling. "I think you're cute. I… I love you."

"No, quit it- you don't love me- I'm different now than I was before-!"

"How are you different?" she asked.

"I don't know! I just am!"

"You're still stupid," she pointed out.

"Well, yeah-"

"And dorky," she added.

"Okay-"

"You _look_ the same."

"I've lost some weight, actually, but that's a superficial note-"

"I've tried for years to change myself for you and now some other woman comes along and suddenly she's good enough… in the course of MONTHS she's changed you…?"

"Enough with the changing! If we don't fall in love with each other for who the other is, then it won't work out. We're testament to that… getting someone to love you shouldn't be hard work. It should be natural… otherwise, it's just not meant to happen."

She sniffled and wiped her eyes, trying to compose herself and calm down.

"Che. You're talking about that fate stuff Shinobu's always going on about." She sighed, tiredly.

"Like I said… love shouldn't be hard work- I mean maybe for some people… but you know how lazy I am," Miyagi muttered and she laughed softly. Miyagi reached inside and hugged her. "You know you'll meet someone great. Just quit going out with losers and gay guys."

She laughed some more and sighed, hugging him back. "If you don't want me to love you, stop acting so sweet."

"Nah, you're right. What's this? Feels like you've put on some weight."

"You son of a bitch."

"There you go- also, that hair style has got to go."

"Okay, you can stop now."

"And when I said this wouldn't be easy when I pulled away from your kiss, I lied- it was quite easy, your breath reeks."

"WHAT did I find attractive about you?" She tried pulling away, aggravated.

"See, there you go." He reinforced her with a pat on the shoulder.

"Ugh." Risako rubbed her face and sighed. "I'm sorry, Yoh… I'm so embarrassing. Look at me. I'm a mess; drunk and humiliating myself like this."

"Well I suppose I'm partly to blame- but seriously, you're paying for the damage to my car."

"No, I will… and for the other car I keyed before realizing yours was a 2006."

"What? Which one?"

"The one that looks like yours, over there." She pointed.

"Oh, that's just professor Saitou's car… we'll keep that one between us."

Sighing, she finished drying her tears. "Why are all the good guys either gay or taken…? So who is she? I understand if you have no intentions of telling me- especially after the mess I've proven myself to be… I just wonder if it's someone I know." She sniffled.

"That's a difficult question to answer," Miyagi sighed, scratching the back of his head.

"Even Shinobu supposedly knows about it," she sighed, folding her arms. "Although I had thought he was mistakenly referring to himself..."

Miyagi's eyes widened and Risako, who had been staring right at his face, realized immediately what that expression confirmed.

"Oh… oh no…" she gasped softly, raising her tissue to her lips. "You're dating… Shinobu!"

Miyagi sighed, sinking to the ground again. "I'm sorry, Risako… it's gotta be even crazier to you- and I hope you don't feel pain because of-"

"I couldn't be more happy or relieved!" She threw her arms around him, tackling him to the ground and he gawked up at the sky, confused as to how things had ended up this way. He had promised himself when he rejected her kiss that she would definitely not end up on top of him, and now he wasn't sure if this qualified as breaking the promise or not.

"What's going on, you're not raping me, are you?"

"Of course not! You're in love with Shinobu!"

"Yay?"

"Don't you realize what this means?" She pulled away, staring excitedly down at him.

"No?"

"You're GAY!"

"I am?"

She hit him on the chest, annoyed. "Of course you are, you moron! You don't do it with a guy when you're straight!"

"Um, I go by the Kinsey scale, and when-"

"Of course you're gay! How could I never see it, before?" she exclaimed and he just continued staring at her, perplexed.

"You really had me fooled, Yoh! I mean the way you performed in bed, I should have figured you didn't know what you were doing with these, or that, but- oh, Yoh, I'm so HAPPY!"

"But I'm not-! Wait, WHAT? Happy?" He pushed her away, gaping at her, horrified. "Wh-what do you mean you're HAPPY?"

"It's not because of _who_ I am… it's because of _WHAT_ I am! It's because I'm a _woman_! And you like _men_!"

"HAH?"

"I'm so relieved! Here I was thinking there was something wrong with me- and I guess, in a sense, it really was- but if it's something I CAN'T change, then I can accept that!"

"Didn't I just get done telling you that you shouldn't try to change, and to accept who you are?" he huffed.

"Aww, Yoh, why didn't you ever TELL me?" She threw her arms around his neck again, endlessly happy and relieved. "We could have had so much fun together! We could have watched gay porn-"

"WHAT?" Miyagi flushed a deep red.

"And you could have had guys over, I wouldn't have minded!"

"What do you mean you wouldn't have minded? I'm not the cheater, here!"

"Or I could have invited my boyfriend over, and we could have had a three way or something, at least."

"Wait, what?"

"Hahaha," she laughed, pointing at him. "The look on your face!"

His eye twitched as she hugged him, again, burying her face in his shoulder. "Oh, you have no idea what a relief this is… here I've been thinking, this whole time, that there was something wrong with me, but you've been the one with the problem."

"I'm not going to let you keep hugging me if you keep saying stuff like that!"

"Wait." She pulled away suddenly, staring up into his blue eyes in shock. "You and… and… _**Shinobu**_?"

"Huh… yeah…?" Miyagi blinked. "Woo hoo? Nothing wrong with you, and all that? You can keep hugging me." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest nervously and she struggled to pull away, annoyed.

"You and SHINOBU? Shinobu? My little brother." She clasped a hand over her mouth, shocked. "I can't believe it… Shinobu is… but you're twice his… how long have you two… well… it must have started after he came back from..."

"You can just continue not finishing aaany of those sentences," Miyagi groaned, rubbing at the bridge of his nose, aggravated. "You know, I could use a drink, too."

She continued staring off into space for a moment before turning to him, glaring up at him. "You and Shinobu… are you two serious about each other? I'm sure he's serious about you. I understand, now… but you… if you disregard him like you did me-!"

"No, I'm serious about him." Miyagi stated honestly. "Are you going to tell your father?"

"Of course not!" she snapped, annoyed. "He's your boss, and aside from that, Shinobu would never forgive me!" she paused, thinking it over. "You're really serious about him?"

"Yeah," Miyagi replied, scratching the back of his head with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Risako. I-"

"It's fine," she snapped. "But if you break Shinobu's heart, I'll never forgive you!"

"I've broken it various times, before- is it still bad if I break it, then fix it, later?"

"Yoh!"

"Alright, I got it… I'll treat him right and all that jazz."

"I knew he had a crush on you, but… how could I never realize…? As a sister, I absolutely fail," she sighed, folding her arms. "FUCK is ANYONE straight, anymore?"

"Hmm." Miyagi shrugged.

"Well, you sure had me fooled, I'll give you that," Risako sighed, back to smiling. "Although I should have known by the way you're always goofing around and talking in that girly voice with your students."

Miyagi's eye twitched.

"And you're a great cook and manage to keep your place so clean- I should have figured."

"Yeeeaah… heh."

"Or like the fact that you had absolutely no idea how to please a woman-"

"NOW WAIT JUST A MINUTE-!"

"It's alright!" She patted his arm, happily. "I understand you, now."

"I can please a woman-! I CAN PLEASE A WOMAN!" he called as she stood, wobbly, then walked off, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she staggered away. "Hey-! Where are you _going_?"

"Well, I need to get back home," she stated.

"Did you call a cab?"

"I drove."

"WHAT? DRUNK?"

"Of course not! I got drunk in my car, waiting for you."

"Get your ass back here then!" he called, annoyed, gesturing to the car. "I'll give you a ride home! Where is YOUR car? I'm going to key it."

"It's…" She tried thinking, then turned, pointing at the yellow one.

Miyagi's brow twitched. "So you _drove_ a cab here… wait- where the hell were you going if you started walking to your car?"

"I don't know."

"GET IN MY CAR!"

-.=.-.=.-

Shinobu sighed as he waited on Miyagi's couch. The man had said he'd be home an hour ago! What a dick.

He was just about to get up and go to bed in his apartment when the door swung open and Miyagi came tumbling inside with a seemingly drunk Risako attached to his arm.

Shinobu's eyes bulged and he stood, but Risako was laughing and as she got slowly to her feet, all he could do was gawk in horror as she staggered toward him and hugged him to her chest.

"Oh Shinobu- congratulations!"

"For what?"

"Yoh loves you! He really loves you! I'm so happy for you! You fucking brat."

She muttered the last part and Shinobu's brow twitched.

"You _told_ her?"

"She sort of figured it out on her own… after getting really drunk and keying my car." Miyagi muttered, popping his shoulder back into place, annoyed. "Jeez, she's an annoying drunk."

"Why did you bring her here?" Shinobu whispered.

"Well we spent an hour trying to find her new place and she's too drunk to remember, so I said 'fuck it,' and brought her. Figured you and I can go to your place to talk."

"Don't worry, Shinobu," Risako exclaimed, though the booze was finally starting to wear off. "I won't tell father~!"

"You have nothing to tell him," Shinobu muttered. "Miyagi and I are breaking up."

"What?" Risako and Miyagi exclaimed in unison.

"Why are YOU surprised?" Shinobu snapped at Miyagi, who flinched.

"But why?"

"You're obviously fooling around with Kamijou!"

Risako gasped, turning to Miyagi. "Is that true?"

Miyagi's brow twitched. He was beginning to regret bringing her. "Of course not!"

"Shinobu!" She turned to her brother accusatorily. "Just because Yoh is gay and Kamijou is gay, doesn't mean they're involved, sexually or romantically! What a horrible stereotype to accuse them of!"

Shinobu's brow twitched. "Miyagi, can we please take this to my apartment."

"What about me?" Risako huffed.

"This doesn't involve you! I didn't get to be there when you two worked out whatever you did!"

"Aww, fine." Risako huffed, looking around. "Where's your place, Shinobu?"

Shinobu's brow twitched. "None of your business block, that's where!"

"Next door. You can listen in best if you press your ear to that wall." Miyagi pointed. "That's where I listen when Shinobu touches himself when he's mad at me."

Shinobu's face heated up and Risako looked annoyed.

"You disgust me. That's my brother."

"Oh yeah. Come on, Shinobu-chin."

"I guess it doesn't matter that she knows I live there since I'm moving out."

"Oh shut up about that, we're not breaking up and you're not leaving me." Miyagi grabbed Shinobu's wrist and tugged him out of his apartment and into the teen's.

-.=.-.=.-

"What do you want to talk about?" Miyagi asked, loosening his tie.

"Miyagi!" Shinobu glared. "Did you really kiss Kamijou?"

"No. His ginormous lover interrupted us at the perfect time. He punched me in the neck and I sank to the ground and almost died."

"PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY!" Shinobu exploded. He was getting fed up with his lover's inability to be serious for more than two seconds.

"I was punched in the neck, I really almost died."

Shinobu glared. "Miyagi."

"He punched me in the neck- ask him yourself."

"…e punched you in the _neck_?"

"He punched me in the neck."

"Are you okay?"

"It happened while you were in Australia."

"It must have hurt!"

"It hurt like hell. I talked in a raspy voice all the next day and my students made fun of me."

"So… ah- but… you _were_ going to kiss Kamijou though, right?"

"I almost did. Because I knew he was a homo… it was one of those stupid things I do when I feel guilty or sad for someone."

"What the fuck kind of complex is that, anyway?"

"I don't know, but it was annoying. Key word: WAS. I don't do that, anymore!"

"Miyagi… you started dating me for that same reason."

"Mmpf," Miyagi sighed, playing with some cigarettes in his pocket.

No. No more bad habits. He'd gone a week, now.

"I know you did. I've accepted that."

"I loved you."

Shinobu sighed.

"When I stopped you from going to Australia, I knew I loved you. I loved you since then. I loved you since before then. I don't even know how or when I fell in love with you- I just realized it one day. Realized that I'd loved you for a while. In fact… Kamijou sort of inadvertently helped me to realize it."

"Don't want to hear it," Shinobu obstinately snapped.

"Well he did! I asked him what it meant when you can't stop thinking about a person. He obviously had the guy who punched me in the neck on his mind when he answered and said it had to be love, and then right after that, I heard you were going to Australia… I didn't stop you because I felt guilty. In that situation, stopping you would have been troublesome, right? I stopped you because I wanted to change, and I knew you would be the one to help me to and because I couldn't stand the thought of you going."

Tears welled in Shinobu's eyes and he lowered his gaze to the floor.

"AH-! STOP CRYING WHEN YOU'RE HAPPY! IT FREAKS ME OUT!"

"But I'm so _happy_..."

"So don't _cry_! SMILE! SMILE, DAMNIT!"

"I caaaaahaaaan't!" Shinobu wailed and Miyagi sighed, grabbing his lover and pulling him close, hugging him so tightly Shinobu froze solid.

"I want to see you smile. All the time."

"Mpf." Shinobu's cheeks flushed and he closed his eyes, hugging Miyagi tighter. "Miyagi..."

"Wanna do it?"

"Yes. But I know my sister's listening in."

_ "Not to THAT!"_ Risako snapped from the other side and Shinobu shook his head.

"We could get a hotel," Miyagi suggested.

"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU BUY HER ONE AND LEAVE HER THERE?"

"She said she wanted to congratulate you."

_ "Congratulations!"_

"…"

"So no moving, no breaking up- I love you."

"Miyagi." Shinobu flushed. "I love you, too."

"Even though I'm stupid?"

"Uh-huh." Shinobu hugged him tighter and Miyagi smirked.

"Even though I'm a dork…?"

"Usually."

"_Usually?_"

"Of course I love you… all the time. Forever."

"Aww, okay, I don't care if she listens, I'm taking you."

"Miyagi, no!" Shinobu whined as Miyagi tugged the teen's pants down. Shinobu struggled to keep them up.

"Stooop…!"

"Nope, let me in."

"Aaah!"

Risako pulled away from the wall, annoyed.

"I'm going to sleep in your bed," she snapped.

"Okay, I just changed the sheets so that should be fine!"

_ "…"_

Silence was their only reply.

-.=.-.=.-

**AN: **Okay so this one was pretty weeeird… next chapter, Misaki makes a small cameo, as well as another unexpected character- then the chapter leaves off with a suspenseful cliff hanger. (Is the word 'suspenseful' really necessary when used to describe a cliff hanger…?)

(1) 17 cm is a bit less than 7 inches.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: **Updating a chapter of this and a chapter of the Frailty of Trust. If you like this one, be sure to check out the Frailty of Trust.

Oh and I'm not sure if Tsumori is gay/straight/bi/pedo/sexual pervert of some kind, so I play with his sexuality a bit in this one but never give anything terribly concrete.

Look forward to seeing a mysterious character from Hiroki's past, who shakes things up a bit ;D.

=.=.=.=

"Nowaki-sensei!" A little boy's fist clenched tightly at Nowaki's coat as he walked past. The tall man stopped, smiled, and knelt down.

"Yes? What is it?"

"My papa said he'd be here by ten. It's eleven, and I'm scared."

"Oh?" Nowaki smiled reassuringly. "Don't be scared. I'm sure he'll be here. You know, he told me to tell you he'd be a little late, and I totally forgot."

The boy's face lit up. "Oh, he did?"

"Sure he did," Nowaki lied with a forced smile. "He told me and I had to go to the restroom so bad, I forgot. I'm a horrible sensei."

"You're not a horrible sensei!" the boy reassured him. "Even sensei has to use the potty."

"Even sensei has to use the potty, that's right." Tsumori approached from behind with a sly grin. "Guess what, you little rascal, your papa's here!"

"He is?" the child exclaimed, happily.

"So pack your crap and get lost, we gotta put a better behaved kid in your bed while you're gone."

"Tsumori-sensei is so mean!" The boy pretended to pout and Nowaki smiled adoringly at the child. Those two had been fake-hating for the duration of the child's stay, since the boy had thrown a tantrum when Tsumori had tried to take his temperature and so Tsumori had thrown a bigger one, going to the trouble of throwing himself on the floor and kicking and screaming to be louder than the child, who had ended up gawking and apologizing to the nurses profusely for upsetting 'poor Tsumori-sensei.'

Nowaki shuddered at the memory. He wondered if this was the type of thing his lover had to put up with. His lover's boss and his sempai would probably get along quite well, he imagined.

Still… Tsumori worked with children, so even though his behavior was a bit strange, it wasn't all that unusual. Many pediatricians acted childishly around the children to win them over. The hospital staff seemed to approve, since the results were favorable.

"Nowaki," Tsumori broke the man from his idle daydreaming and Nowaki smiled.

"Ah… yes?"

"Can you take Shinoda-kun's paperwork to his father? He's at the front."

"Yes, certainly." Nowaki took the paperwork from his sempai, who helped the child gather his things.

Nowaki looked over everything to make sure everything looked fine before he headed out into the waiting room. "Shinoda-san?"

"That's me." A fine looking business man stood and blinked, surprised to see Nowaki. "Oh."

"Your son is… uh?" Nowaki blinked. "Is something the-? Oh." He blushed, lightly. "You probably saw that silly commercial… 15% off of a dozen rose bou-"

"Quit advertising for your other job while at this one!" a snippety nurse snapped as she passed and Nowaki glared after her with a pout.

"It's not the commercial." The man smiled. "You're Kamijou Hiroki's lover aren't you?" He whispered and Nowaki blinked.

"Yes?" The taller man replied, startled. "You know Hiro-san?"

"Oh yes. I've _known_ him _quite well_," the man said with a smirk. "It's been quite a while since I've seen him. How's he doing?"

"Fine." Nowaki didn't like the tone in this man's voice. "Are you his friend?"

"Friend isn't the right term. I'm sure he wouldn't use it." The man smiled. "I saw you with him a while back at the plaza. He looked so cute, waiting for you like a middle school student, excitedly awaiting his date."

"Yes, Hiro-san is quite cute," Nowaki replied, not bothering to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

"So you're a doctor, how nice."

"A pediatrician."

"And did you work with my son?"

"Is he your son?" Nowaki asked.

"As far as he's concerned," Shinoda replied with a smile. "My sister died about six or seven years ago, leaving her newborn child without someone to care for him, so I adopted him."

"That's very kind of you. Many others would have just let the child be taken to an orphanage."

"'Kind' of me? That's what family does," the man laughed. "Who lets their family be taken to an orphanage, other than the evil step-mothers in cartoons?"

Nowaki frowned, averting his gaze. "Well, it's nice that Shinoda-kun err… Masayoshi-kun thinks of you as his father. Does he know he's adopted?"

"Of course. I told him when he was very young but that I love him very much."

"Papa!" Masayoshi ran out to greet his surrogate father, throwing his arms around his neck, happily. "Papa, I missed you! Kusama-sensei forgot to tell me you'd be late, but I forgave him."

Shinoda blinked before smiling to Nowaki. "Silly Kusama-kun."

Nowaki smiled, brows furrowing. "My bad."

"Oi, brat, you left your stuff lying all over the place, this isn't your room at your house, take your crap and get lost, already." Tsumori came out with a small bag filled with children's toys.

"That's not mine." The boy pointed at a toy that was hanging out.

"Sure it is, I don't know what you're talking about," Tsumori snapped with a huff. "What a troublesome child, making up such stories. Why would I give you a toy that didn't belong to you? You don't deserve even one single toy."

The boy smiled happily. "What a troublesome sensei! Sensei is the one who makes up stories!"

Shinoda smiled. "I take it you're the mean sensei my son was complaining about last night on the phone?"

"He's not that mean, papa," the boy told his father as he bounced.

"Don't bounce him too hard, he just had his appendix removed," Tsumori admonished the man, folding his arms. "Some parents have no sense."

Shinoda laughed softly. "I'm not bouncing him."

"Foolish brat, you want me to remove your intestines, too?" Tsumori huffed and Masayoshi squealed fearfully, burying his face in his father's shoulder as he stopped bouncing.

"Well, here's Masayoshi-kun's paperwork." Nowaki handed it to Shinoda, and Tsumori snatched it, curling it up and stuffing it into Masayoshi's bag.

"The man's got his hands full of brat, Nowaki. Think."

"Meanie-sensei, don't pick on Kusama-sensei!" Masayoshi pulled away from his father to come to Nowaki's defense.

"Yeah, Meanie-sensei!" Nowaki echoed.

"Yeah, here," Tsumori huffed, handing over the bag and Shinoda took Tsumori's hand.

Tsumori blinked, looking down at the man's hand, gripped around his own, then he looked up at the man, confused.

"You have nice fingers," Shinoda stated, pulling the bag away and turning with his child in tow. "Thank you both for looking after Masayoshi."

"Un." Both men blinked, watching him head off and Tsumori eyed Nowaki.

"Was he gay?"

"Why do you ask me?" Nowaki snapped at his sempai, annoyed.

"Really? Why do you think? Because you're gay!"

"It's not like we have a secret code that only other gay people can read."

"He was gay," Tsumori decided, rubbing at his fingers.

"Yeah… I think so, too." Nowaki frowned. "I think he knows Hiro-san."

"That wouldn't surprise me."

"What's THAT supposed to mean?" Nowaki looked noticeably offended.

"Hmm… I wonder." Tsumori looked wistfully away.

"Meanie-sensei," Nowaki huffed. "Do you think he'll ask you out?"

"Dunno. If he does, and he offers to pay for dinner, I'll probably go."

"Sempai!"

"What? I'm hungry."

"You can't just accept dates from men because you think you'll get a free dinner out of it!"

"Why not? If it's expensive, I may even put out."

"Sempai!" Nowaki laughed.

Still, in the back of his mind, he had a bad feeling about that guy and couldn't help but wonder just how well the man had 'known' his beloved Hiro-san.

=.=.=

Miyagi entered the literature department utility room with some pretty smooth skin.

"Skin looks nice and sleek today, Professor," Hiroki muttered from the floor as he checked the paper tray for pink papers.

"I'm still not talking to you."

"Ugh," Hiroki sighed, closing the tray and printing his test. "Look, can I talk to you about that?"

"Risako found out about Shinobu-chin and me last night and told the dean and he just fired me, I'm just here to steal some supplies before I ditch."

Hiroki's eyes widened and he stood. "What?"

"Nah, that didn't happen, but if it did, how bad would you feel, hmmmmm…?" Miyagi glared at the man and Hiroki blinked, relieved.

"Very."

"Yeah. What the hell were you thinking, anyway? Trying to drop hints to Risako about me? It's none of your business what I do or who I do."

"Risako-san is my friend." Hiroki muttered. "So she- I-"

"So I guess that makes us not friends, right?" Miyagi frowned.

"No," Hiroki sighed, "It's not like that."

"Don't worry about it Kamijou. I won't ask you about things that aren't work related, anymore."

"Professor." The younger male's brows furrowed. How did this bastard get him feeling like a seven year old boy who was being admonished for lying to his mother?

"Just stopped by to grab some paper clips." Miyagi snagged some off of the top shelf and turned, nearly bumping into a student.

"Ah… I'm sorry!"

"You're not a teacher. This supply room is for teachers only." Miyagi blinked and the teen frowned, grimly.

"Ah… I just… needed to talk to professor Kamijou about something."

"Mm…?" Miyagi arched a brow, glancing over at Hiroki who eyed the student, confused.

"Who told you I'd be here?" Hiroki asked.

"Professor Saitou."

"Huh. That useless professor doesn't have any concept of where students should and should not be allowed to go. Okay, what do you want?"

"I took a class of yours a few semesters ago and wanted to know if you save the papers the students turn in."

"We scan them into a computer and send them to some computer lady who does something with those files and we have people who re-type them up so they can be put into our database and when a new work presented is similar, we catch up with the students to determine whether they're engaging in academic dishonesty."

"He doesn't need to know all that, Kamijou, and you don't have to give that spiel to every student just to scare them into doing their own work," Miyagi huffed.

"Then is it possible you still have a paper on file that I wrote about Usami Akihiko?" The teen asked.

"What's your name? I'll look it up for you."

"Takahashi Misaki."

"Usami Akihiko… Takahashi Misaki. Oh, you're the," Hiroki groaned.

"Eh?" Misaki blinked.

"I'll find it for you and e-mail it to your school e-mail."

"Thank you very much!"

"What do you need it for?" Miyagi asked and Misaki blinked.

"Eh? Ah… the author asked me for it."

"The author? So you did cheat."

"Not the author of my paper- that would be me. The author I wrote about."

"Akihiko asked for it? What the hell? I'm not going through any trouble for that bastard," Hiroki snapped.

"Eh?" Misaki blinked. "You know him?"

"Yeah I know him. Give him a message for me."

"What message…?"

Hiroki raised his middle finger but Miyagi quickly caught it and hid it away, laughing rather nervously.

"I'll be sure to e-mail that paper on over, okay, Takahashi-kun? Expect it by Friday."

"Ah… un… okay." Misaki frowned.

"Mm? Need it sooner?" Miyagi blinked.

"I thought you were going to stop getting guilted into doing stuff for others?" Hiroki muttered and Miyagi smashed his fingers in his hand, annoyed.

"No, it's fine. By Friday will be great, thank you very much." Misaki bowed, politely.

"Now hold on." Miyagi placed his fists on his hips. "Professor KAMIJOU would be DELIGHTED to get it to you by tomorrow morning."

Misaki blinked. "No, that's not necessary, I definitely don't want either of you two push yourselves just for Usa- I mean… just for me."

"Definitely not Usami-sensei who has not yet returned the thirteenth volume of our American encyclopedia set. No. But for a student, Kamijou would bend over backwards."

Hiroki glared at Miyagi. "Like hell. This brat is obviously Akihiko's damn roommate. He also shouldn't get roped into doing Akihiko's dirty work."

"Then I need it for another assignment," Misaki blatantly lied.

"What the hell, you punk?" Hiroki snapped. "You think you're not transparent?"

"It's for work."

"Do you work at Marukawa?"

Misaki eyed the man. "Are you Usagi-san's friend…?"

"Something like that. Alright, fine. Expect it by tomorrow morning."

"Thank you very much." Misaki headed out, unnerved.

"Freakin' brats," Hiroki muttered.

"Be nicer to the students, Kamijou-sensei," Miyagi ordered, grabbing a stapler while he was in the room and heading off.

"Really? This won't last long, you're too much of a goof," Hiroki snapped.

=.=.=

Two days later, Hiroki was still being given the cold shoulder, but things had never been more peaceful and he had never gotten more work done.

He also hadn't seen Nowaki in two days so he was particularly irritable.

He thought he'd enjoy having Miyagi mad at him or not talk to him or just being quiet, but he found himself oddly saddened by the length of time that had passed.

With neither Nowaki nor Miyagi speaking to him on a regular basis, and stupid Akihiko working to meet a deadline, Hiroki realized that he was beginning to feel pretty lonely.

'Are they my only friends? I need to get more friends,' he thought to himself.

In the past, it had never been a problem- he had friends from high school and college and even some other casual acquaintances, but really he chose to have one lover, one work friend and one outside friend, all whom were close, to keep him grounded.

His books could handle the rest, for the most part, but now that both friends and his lover were neglecting him, he was beginning to feel irritable.

Nowaki's schedule was unpredictable.

He may very well see him tonight, or not for another ten nights.

Akihiko, on the other hand, had mentioned his deadline was two weeks away, and that he had barely even started, so he could say bye-bye to Akihiko for the next month, (although the bastard evidently had enough time on his hands to be bothering Takahashi-kun and in turn bothering _him_).

Then there was Miyagi- the man he engaged in the most interaction with and who served well to remind him WHY only 3 friends were really necessary.

Being the introvert that he was, having Miyagi around really aided in reinforcing Hiroki's theory that books were the only friends you need- at least for the most part.

At the end of the work day, Hiroki was more than content in delving into the wonderful world of fiction- and sometimes nonfiction, if the mood called for it- but without the man's annoying, whiney, stupid comments, or even intellectual debates, he found himself actually yearning for their usual interactions.

He entered their office a few minutes before lunch and found Miyagi grading papers.

"Hey," he meekly attempted to strike up a conversation. "Did you hear about the accident in the chemistry lab?"

"Yeah, the whole school heard about it, there was an announcement over the intercom," Miyagi replied, eyes scanning over a paragraph before he clicked his tongue and underlined a misused kanji character. "These are the basics. Stupid teenagers. Quit texting so much and crack open a book."

Hiroki blinked. "Yeah, kids these days are so uncultured… makes me nervous to think about-"

"There was a message for you," Miyagi interrupted, not meaning for his comment to be interpreted as an invitation for conversation.

He pointed to the message pad the two had stuck next to the phone and Hiroki eyed it, heading over.

He picked it up and rolled his eyes. "It's just from Akihiko."

"I know. I wrote the message."

"Did he say when he was bringing back the-?"

"Didn't ask."

"Come on!" Hiroki sighed, annoyed, folding his arms. "Stop being mad at me!"

"I'm not mad," Miyagi told him, turning a page and grading the next one.

"I didn't even _do_ anything."

"Is this about something work-related?"

Hiroki glared, heading over and placing his hand over the page Miyagi was reading.

"You're creating a hostile work environment."

"Launch a complaint through HR." Miyagi glanced up at him, looking just as energetic as he always did, but something was missing.

It was that gleam in his eyes that he got when he observed Kamijou finding his office supplies trapped inside jell-o (1), or when he caught Hiroki alluding to something relating to his relationship with Nowaki, or even during the playful banter they exchanged all throughout the day.

Funny, now that he thought about those idiotic interactions, he realized how much he should most certainly NOT miss them- and he knew how little he would, when they were back- but he still _wanted _them back _now_.

"Professor." Hiroki frowned. "I'm sorry."

"For what? I thought you didn't _do_ anything." Miyagi arched a brow.

"I'm sorry I made you mad, or hurt your feelings, or made friends with your ex-wife or whatever it is that I did that has you mad at me."

"You tried to tell her about my personal relationship that has nothing to do with you. After telling me it has nothing to do with you or that you don't care, you tried to meddle in my business."

"Risako-san is my friend, and she loves your boyfriend- he's her little brother… and your boyfriend is unhappy. I can identify with that, but he's obviously loved so if he just tells his parents about what's going on, he'll feel better."

"Hah?" Miyagi's eye twitched. "You're telling me you were trying to drop hints for SHINOBU'S sake? Like I buy that!"

"Risako-san loves- well… _loved_ you. She also loves her little brother. It's pretty obvious. I thought if she knew, she could get over her abnormal adoration for you and come to terms with what's going on and then your little muskrat of a boyfriend would know that other than you, there are others who love him. Having a lover is nice, but when you feel like you have to keep that sort of thing a secret, then when you're troubled or having problems, it feels lonelier. Now that Risako knows, if you go and piss him off, he'll have someone he can go to when he needs to talk or needs advice. And he'll know he has her support. Maybe he won't be so insecure all the time."

"Why do you think Shinobu-chin feels like that?" Miyagi asked, wondering if this was really how Shinobu felt, and if so, how Kamijou had sensed it yet he had not.

Shinobu didn't _seem_ insecure, but he knew that he was when it came to their relationship, so everything Hiroki was saying could very well be true—but Shinobu only seemed insecure around Miyagi… he seemed confident and hell, even cocky when it came to others.

He was always telling Miyagi not to care so much about what society thinks or says… but could he be telling himself as well as Miyagi…?

Hiroki flushed, averting his gaze. "You wouldn't understand. You're STRAIGHT, remember?"

"I can still understand feeling like no one would understand your love," Miyagi huffed. "But I don't feel troubled by it. When stuff like that happens, I just give it a few days and then everything gets better."

"You're an adult- that brat's a kid. To him, giving it 'a while' feels like forever and it's uncomfortable and painful, the entire time."

Miyagi thought about it. Did Kamijou really do what he did for Shinobu?

But what if Risako hadn't been oddly relieved and ecstatic about the ordeal?

What if she'd gone to the dean?

Did Kamijou even consider that?

"Anyway… I like you."

Miyagi blinked, glancing over at his subordinate.

"I don't like it when you're mad at me. It bugs me. I admire you a lot… and you're an important person in my life because I know that someday I'll be a really great professor thanks to your help… so… please stop being cold to me."

"Aww… Kamijou…" Miyagi blinked. "That's so cute!"

"WHAT'S CUTE ABOUT IT?" Hiroki exploded, face beet.

"You basically just admitted your undying love and devotion toward me. I won't let you down, Kamijou! I'll mold you into a great professor!" Miyagi jumped the man and Hiroki yelped, stumbling away but the two crashed into a book shelf and knocked over a pile of books.

"You don't have to mold my BODY!"

"Of course I do!"

"I'm turning you in for sexual harassment!"

"This isn't sexual harassment, this is just how you become a good professor! Through hugs!"

"I'm transferring schools!"

"I'll transfer with you, so I can marry Shinobu-chin!"

"Marry?" Hiroki wailed as Miyagi transformed the pile of books that trapped them into a book fort while lying on top of and smothering his protégé.

"Sure! Shinobu-chin will make such a cute little wife… wearing an apron and… and… burning the fuck out of everything he tries to cook… Maybe we'll hire a cook to do that for us…."

"Get ooooff!" Kamijou thrashed.

"This is professor training. You must aid me in constructing a literature igloo. Once we are encased by the various books, we will meditate for about six years-"

"That's not how you become a good professor! How did you really get there? Weren't you a professor BEFORE you married the dean's daughter?"

"Nope, it happened afterward. Then as soon as I was done using her to climb the corporate ladder, I requested a divorce."

"There are so many things wrong with that! First of all, there's no _corporate ladder_, you're an educator!"

"I climbed it! It was very hard work."

"There was no physical- it's a-! Ugh… And don't say stuff like that about my friend!"

"To become a professor you must bury yourself in your work, see?" Miyagi knocked down a wall he'd built and it crashed down on top of them.

"Aaagh! Stop! You're going to kill us!"

"Do you two ever _work_?" Saitou snapped from the doorway and the two sat up, gawking.

"You two better have that report ready for me, this afternoon. Professor Miyagi, I noticed a scratch on your car, mine was also keyed."

"I know!" Miyagi folded his arms. "It's not fair, I am a good and kind professor, so obviously they were aiming for your car, but because they look alike, they got mine, too!"

"You really don't know anything about it?" Saitou huffed.

"I know it costs quite a bit to fix it."

"This is such bull shit."

"I know, I was heartbroken, too. Don't worry about that report, though. We can give it to you right now, if you want."

"No, this afternoon is fine, since I have to get to a meeting."

"Sure thing, thanks for stopping by!" Miyagi waved. "I'll email you the place I went to; they cut me a pretty good deal."

"Ugh." Saitou looked around before heading off. "And quit perpetuating stereotypes- just because Kamijou-sensei is gay doesn't mean it's okay to go all touchy feely with the higher ups."

"What the hell did you say?" Kamijou glowered and Miyagi wrapped his arms around his friend's neck.

"Don't listen to discriminatory professor Saitou, who knows nothing about the importance of a superior/subordinate relationship. I will hold true to my promise to mold you into the ideal educator."

"Is that what you're doing, then? Molding?" Saitou sighed.

"I never had a loving superior to help me develop and grow- Professor Saitou was always so cold to me."

"You didn't need love; all you had to do was sleep with the dean's daughter. No one's blind," Saitou snapped.

"Watch what you say, you weak excuse for an educator!" Hiroki snapped and Saitou gawked at him.

"Excuse me?"

"I said to shut up when you don't have any idea what you're talking about and no smarts to back it up. If your aim is to stay in academics, then learn to engage your brain."

"I'm reporting you to the dean," Saitou exploded after stammering.

"You don't have to," Takatsuki snapped from behind his frazzled subordinate, arms folded and a stern expression on his face. "Professor Saitou, please report to my office."

"Me?" Saitou exclaimed, dumbfounded. "What in the world have-?"

"Go there and wait for me. I need to discuss something with your peers."

"Subordinates," Saitou snapped annoyed, heading off.

"Thank you for holding true to your word, chairman." Hiroki smiled nervously. "I'm glad you could recognize that the things being said were completely out of line. If Professor Saitou speaks like that around the students-"

"Of course, Kamijou, and I hate to cut you off, but would you mind heading off to class early? There's something I need to discuss with Professor Miyagi in private."

Both men exchanged nervous looks as Hiroki got to his feet and gathered his things. "Um… professor… about that report?" he mumbled and Miyagi blinked before smiling.

"I wasn't lying- I've had it done for two days. Didn't you get my email?"

"You didn't send it."

"I sent it in an attachment."

"Did you remember to attach it, first?"

"…Damn it. I'll send it in a sec- to you and to Saitou."

"Thank you."

"I have a meeting this afternoon, so I won't see you for the rest of the day, assistant professor Kamijou. Have a nice evening." The dean smiled to him as Hiroki headed out.

"You, too. Take care," Hiroki mumbled, turning as he stepped outside.

As the door closed, he saw the dean turn to Miyagi, his expression turning serious.

"Professor Miyagi, I'd like very much for you to work on a project for me, ASAP."

After the door closed, Hiroki heard the following final words, muffled by the closed door:

"I would like for you to draft up a letter of resignation."

=.=.=

**AN: **Dun dun DUN. Yeah right. What sucks is this cliff hanger really is a cliff hanger- I haven't written anymore chapters as of yet… maybe by the time this chapter gets posted, I will have. -comment dated 03/16/2010. As of 07/01/2010: Yep. 1 chapter… still weak…

By the way- yes. I am aware of my horrible habit of using Kamijou and Hiroki interchangeably as I narrate. It's gross and I hate it but I can't help myself. Sometimes there's a method to the madness- like if Hiroki is at work I will refer to him as Kamijou. Usually when discussing him, I call him Kamijou but I've been trying to work on that, too. .

(1) The office supplies trapped in jell-o is something I saw on the show "The Office," both the British and the American version (though personally, and without being biased as I am an American, I found the American version to be funnier- but I DID find it intriguing that they have jell-o in a box in Britain o.O so cool! DO WANT). Anyway, when I saw this, I immediately thought of Miyagi and Kamijou. I thought it was exactly the type of thing they'd do pfft. I was like "DAMN! I wish I'd thought of that!"

And yes, I'm intentionally refraining from gender-izing Saitou. We don't know if s/he is a girl or a guy, so I'm trying hard not to specify, on the off chance that the character comes back at any point in the future.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: **It's almost over.

This chapter almost sort of gets heated (Tero) but nothing too bad… or good, depending on how you look at it…

Also, I've updated all of the previous chapters to correct some grammatical mistakes and stuff.

=.=.=.=

Kamijou stared at the closed door in shock before someone bumped into him from behind.

"Scuse me-! Sorry," Misaki mumbled as he knelt down to gather the things Hiroki had dropped. "Oh, assistant professor Kamijou… eh? Are you alright? You don't look too well."

"Fine, thank you. Did you get the thing I sent you?" Hiroki asked, still a bit frazzled.

"Ah… you sent it in an attachment, I think, but I didn't see anything attached."

"Damnit… okay, I'll send it tonight," Hiroki sighed. "Don't tell my boss."

"Thanks." Misaki watched as Hiroki headed off to his next class, flustered.

He turned and nearly dropped all of his things when he saw Usami standing right in front of him, waving, nonchalantly.

"USAGI-SAAAN?"

Hiroki paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Usa-? Akihiko!" He gawked at the man who was just standing in the middle of a literature hall, being ogled by various students.

"Is that Usami Akihiko?" one whispered.

"I think so," another replied.

"He's so handsome! His picture doesn't do him justice!"

"His works are really beautiful."

"I find them pedantic."

"You just learned that word on a cartoon."

"Shut up."

Ignoring the stupidity that his students radiated, Hiroki walked up to his childhood friend, annoyed. "What're you doing here?"

"Since Misaki didn't get from you what I needed, I decided to come in myself."

"I should have said something earlier- I'm sorry Kamijou-sensei," Misaki mumbled, stomping hard on Usami's foot, but the man seemed unfazed by it.

"Ow."

…For the most part.

"What the hell do you need it for?" Hiroki snapped.

"I want to know what Misaki thinks about my books."

"That is absolutely no reason for me to turn a paper over to you! Do you realize how much work it involves?"

"How've you been, Hiroki? I've not heard from you in a while. I got your boyfriend's discount on roses the other day when my editor informed me that it was her birthday."

"Boyfriend?" Misaki blinked, confused, glancing from his lover to his ex-teacher, then flushing. "Aaaah? Kamijou-sen….sei?" he squeaked the last part when the evil devil Kamijou turned his glower unto the unsuspecting student. "Err… I… have to go… uh… to a class..." Misaki scuttled off and Usami waved goodbye, bored.

"So the rumors are true," one student whispered to her friend and another whispered something inaudible- but Hiroki caught his name.

"Thank you," Hiroki snapped, annoyed. "Now get lost."

"I thought we should go out sometime this week and catch up. It's been a while. Or is it close enough to lunch that I can have lunch with you?"

"No thank you!"

"You don't love me anymore?" Usami asked jokingly, unaware of all that brewed within the assistant professor upon hearing these words.

"Saying 'anymore' implies some sort of initial fondness which has never existed in actuality!"

"Your words can be quite lovely, Hiroki. Why won't you join me in the field of writing?"

"Like hell! I've been to Marukawa, and there's no way I'd fit in with that glum crowd!"

"Is that a joke?" Usami scoffed, folding his arms. "I've seen you when you are working on multiple theses or grading papers. At least when it comes to _writing_, you get to be more imaginative."

"I'm plenty imaginative! I think of lots of very unique and novel methods of criticizing and penalizing my students to where they will actually learn AND be scarred for life!"

"I know, we should get something sweet. It's not often that I'm in the mood for them."

"Well I'm not!"

"Ah, you haven't seen your boyfriend in quite a while, have you?" Usami asked.

"Will you be quiet about that?" Hiroki hissed, softly.

"Your skin's gotten rough."

"It hasn't!" Hiroki slapped his hands over his cheeks, annoyed. "Go away! I'm upset right now and I don't need you making things worse."

"Why would I make them worse?" the taller man huffed before blinking. "And why are you upset? Are you finding yourself falling in love with that woman?"

Hiroki averted his gaze before sighing. "I think my boss is getting fired… like hell I'd fall in love with anyone other than-!"

His cheeks heated up and Usami started off, not wanting to be beaten up for making the man even more flustered.

"Hey!" Hiroki snapped and Usami glanced over his shoulder.

"You seem annoyed, so I'll go. I have a deadline to meet, anyway."

Hiroki blinked, somehow hurt by his friend's retreat, but he turned and stalked off to class.

'Wrong move?' Usami doubted himself before following the man and quickly catching up. "See? We've spent too much time apart; I can't read you as well anymore. Just now, I could have sworn that expression meant 'get the hell away from-'"

Hiroki cut his friend off by drawing open a locker when a student went to close it. It smashed into Usami's face and he stumbled backward.

"No, you were right," Hiroki replied without looking back, turning the corner and heading to his next class.

Usami caught up quickly. "Hey! That hurt a little!"

"Some of my students heard you spouting crap about a boyfriend, so I had to assert my dominance. This school is my realm, Akihiko. Don't fuck with me in it. Oh- and my soon to be ex-boss asks that you return that encyclopedia set."

"What's wrong with you?" Usami grabbed his friend's arm and tugged him into the men's bathroom, tossing him inside and locking the door.

A teen looked up from a piss he was taking and the two men stared.

Drip… drip…

The boy zipped up, quirking a brow and headed out when Usami reopened the door for him, then locked it again.

"What do you want?" Hiroki snapped.

"You are wound up tight." Usami snapped. "If you don't tell me what's wrong, you'll snap, and it's better you take it out on me than the students."

"That's why I hit you with the locker. Thanks for being a good friend. You can leave, now."

"Tell me what's wrong. This isn't like you. You're going to explode if things keep up like this."

Hiroki was silent for a moment before he inhaled. "I'm sorry… Akihiko… I..."

"It's alright but," Usami raised his hand up to touch Hiroki's head- probably to muss his hair, but Hiroki caught his wrist.

"Don't. Don't touch my head anymore," Hiroki muttered before he could stop himself.

Usami blinked, taken aback. After a moment, Hiroki released his wrist, trusting him not to touch him.

Akihiko lowered his hand.

"Talk."

Hiroki sighed.

"Did the school find out about you?" Usami asked. "I heard two students discussing it earlier- Kamijou the Devil is a homo… that's your students' term of endearment toward you, right?"

"Homo?"

"The devil."

"Endearment?" Hiroki's brow twitched. "Right… so… the dean found out but… I assume everyone else found out through Saitou, who likely spread rumors based on an illegitimate case that was brought against me but… I don't really care about trivial shit like that. More importantly, my boss is getting fired, and I think it's my fault, somehow."

"What did you do?" Usami frowned.

"I dropped hints to his ex-wife about him and her little brother."

"Wait, you mean that girl that we saw you with the other day?"

"We?"

"Your boss and myself."

"Oh yeah- that was his ex-wife."

"Isn't she your boss' daughter?"

"Yes."

"So he's doing it with the boss' son, now?" Usami got a twinkle in his eye and Hiroki resisted the urge to hit him. "Yeah."

"I can understand that perfectly well!" Usami folded his arms. "I'm also dating my ex-wife's little brother."

"Can you be serious for a moment? And Takahiro was never your wife!"

"'Wife,' 'the person I spent the majority of my life being in love with'- same thing."

"Not the majority," Hiroki snapped. "You only loved Takahiro for a measly ten years!"

"MEASLY?" Usami glared. "You've only been with that one tall guy for about six or seven, right?"

"Err… feels like a lifetime- anyway, can you please focus?"

"Go on."

"Well I felt really bad for Risako because- for stupid reasons- she's still in love with the professor… when she mentioned that her kid brother was in love with him, too, and that she knew he was gay, I realized that if she knew about the two of them, that stupid brat would probably have an easier time… he's always got a glare on his face! He's glowering and snapping at people all the time-"

"Sounds like someone I know."

Hiroki frowned, averting his gaze. "Exactly. Even though he's annoying, he's just a kid… I didn't get into education because I wanted something easy that I enjoyed and could make money off of… I want to be able to really help and change people… probably like you do with your writing."

Usami nodded, feeling a little praised and connected with his best friend, for a moment.

"So even though I can't stand half of my students, I still want them to be something great- especially if I'm going to be the one to teach them at some point in their lives. What kind of hit would I take to my pride if I just let them be stupid without trying to develop them just a little? Anyway, that's how I feel about young people, so even though he's a twerp, I can sympathize with him. I know now that my parents love me and still love me even though they know I'm."

"Right." Usami frowned. Hiroki was lucky. His father gave him nothing but shit about his choice to love Misaki. Although in all honesty, his father probably wanted him to be completely alone… 'Who knows… who cares…? I do what I want.'

"So if that brat knows that she loves him even though she knows. I'm sure things would be easier on him- he'd probably smile more- but I was stupid. I didn't think enough of her connection to the dean."

"Right, he's your boss' boss- sleeping with the boss' daughter after you're married is one thing but sleeping with the boss' son? That probably won't go over too well," Usami surmised.

"Right," Hiroki sighed.

"How did you find out? You said 'just now.'"

"Well, while I was waiting outside my office, I heard the dean tell Professor he wants him to draft up a resignation letter."

"Idiot, you're probably over thinking it," Usami assured Hiroki, patting him on the shoulder. "He said draft one up? Those were his words?"

"Something like that."

"He didn't say 'Please resign,' or 'Turn in your resignation,' or anything like that?"

"No, he said it was a project while I was in the room, then once I left, he said 'draft it up.'"

"So don't worry. It's probably for that questionable Saitou character."

"I don't know… but I feel horrible," Hiroki sighed.

"As well you should." Usami nodded, patting his best friend on the shoulder. "After all, you hit me in the face with a locker."

"Odd, I feel little to no remorse about that," Hiroki blatantly lied, folding his arms.

"Just go to class, then call your professor afterward."

Hiroki frowned, nodding.

"That's all you can really do, for now. Don't worry. Everything will be alright."

=.=.=.=

That wasn't _all_ Hiroki could do, though he did appreciate Usami's comforting words. As he stalked onward toward his next class, he found himself dialing Risako's number. He tried three times, but they all went to voicemail. Somehow, he didn't feel comfortable leaving a message or texting, so he decided to try again, later.

Maybe the muskrat knew something. He didn't have his number, though.

Annoyed, he resigned himself to waiting to hear from Miyagi what was going on.

He carried out his next two lectures flawlessly, (which was normal, but really he was trying to distract himself as best he could from what awaited him when he returned). Once the second was done and over with, he hurried back to the office he shared with Miyagi.

"Professor?" he called upon entering.

Miyagi was sitting at his own desk, typing away at something. Startled by his subordinate's sudden shout, he looked up.

"Hey, Kamijou," he greeted. "Sorry our discussion from earlier was interrupted. If it makes you feel any better, I don't think you perpetuate any homosexual stereotypes."

Hiroki flushed slightly. "I don't know if you're serious, making fun, or just babbling in an attempt to distract me from what I overheard earlier, but none of these attempts will distract me."

"Overheard?" Miyagi asked. "Oh, you mean the project the chairman has asked me to help him with… I really can't share, sorry." He smiled nervously.

"Professor, I'm worried," Hiroki admitted. "I heard him say you needed to draft a letter of resignation."

"Ah?" Miyagi blinked. "It's not for you, don't worry."

Hiroki glowered, annoyed. "I'm not worried about _me_!"

"Professor Saitou was merely reprimanded."

"And _you_?"

"Mm?" Miyagi stared blankly and Hiroki glared at him _hard._ Was he just faking being an idiot? Miyagi could really be an idiot, but he could also fake it really well when he didn't want the truth to be seen.

"Did the dean find out about you and Takatsuki-san's little brother?" Hiroki whispered, and Miyagi smiled.

"Ah… you're worried about _that_?"

"Yes."

"Don't worry about it."

Hiroki's eye twitched. "Did he find out or not?"

"No," Miyagi sighed. "Kamijou, I… I can't talk to you about what happened. Please drop it."

Hiroki studied his boss and friend for a moment before pursing his lips and nodding. "Soooo… you… want to go drinking, later?"

Miyagi blinked, startled, then laughed. "No, I mean it- drop it. I can't talk about it- in or out of the office; with or without ten beers clouding my judgment- it's not that he said not to- I will have to discuss the matter with you soon, but right now, I'm trying to think through a few things."

"You are the worst secret keeper in the entire world," Hiroki snapped, placing his fists on his hips. "You blabbed and told me that I had this job before the decision had even been made!"

"That's different. This is a personal matter that the dean specifically requested I not tell anyone about. What he doesn't realize is the personal ties I still have with Risako as well as Shinobu. I've been given some unsettling information and if I tell them, it'll be a direct betrayal to him and if I don't tell them, when they find out, they'll probably feel a bit betrayed by me as well. I've got a catch 22 on my hands and I'm trying to decide what to do."

Hiroki blinked. "Oh, so you aren't drafting your own letter of resignation… you're drafting the dean's?"

Miyagi sighed. "Kamijou."

"What'd he do? Sleep with a student?" Hiroki exclaimed. He really liked the dean, so he wouldn't like to find out about such things. "Ah-! Is he sick?"

Miyagi glared and Hiroki's eyes widened.

"Eerr… ah… good luck, then. J-just know that if you need to discuss it with me, I'm here."

"You'd blab to Risako, or I'd tell you."

"Ah-! I won't!"

"Yes you will."

"Professor!" Hiroki slammed his hands down on the desk, glaring angrily at the man. "I've worked with you-"

"Under me."

"I've been doing the majority of your work for nearly two years! Not only am I your foolishly loyal subordinate, I am your _friend_! And from now on, you come before Risako when it comes to matters such as this, so please confide in me!"

Miyagi's brows knitted together and he sighed. "Well, I _do _need to talk to someone."

=.=.=.=

"Hiro-san, welcome home!" Nowaki exclaimed when Hiroki walked through the door, that night.

"Nowaki, you're ho… home." Hiroki glowered at Tsumori, who was sitting at their table, a deck of cards strewn about atop it. Another man was sitting across from him, so Hiroki's glare lessened.

The man was attractive. VERY attractive. He looked to be about Miyagi's age- maybe a bit older, and he was dressed in a stylish suit. He was foreign.

"Good evening," the man said with only a slight accent. Smiling, he moved to stand, but Tsumori waved his hand.

"You don't need to stand for that- it's just the housewife."

"I am not a housewife." Hiroki glared at Tsumori and the man stood, regardless of Tsumori's advice, offering out his hand.

Nowaki smiled nervously, glancing at Hiroki. "Hiro-san, this is my mentor from America, he's come to Japan on business and I promised he could meet my lover and share a lovely dinner with us."

"Dr. Carter- a pleasure to meet you," the man greeted.

"Aaah, you're the reason Nowaki and I almost broke up a year or so ago." Hiroki nodded, shaking the man's hand and Nowaki's jaw dropped.

Tsumori laughed, quite amused. "Wow, he has a good memory, huh, Nowaki?"

"You told HIM?" Hiroki glared at Nowaki, who looked abashed by this entire situation.

"I apologize for my plane being delayed." Dr. Carter smiled, shaking Hiroki's hand firmly and powerfully, letting their hands linger together for just a moment before sliding it gracefully into the pocket of his pants. "Now that I've gotten a good look at you, this merely reinforces my opinion of Nowaki's lack of common sense."

"Eh?" Hiroki glared, clearly offended.

"To think he came to see me when he already knew he was in my favor, rather than going to be with you… he sure can make some foolish choices when pressured… luckily this quirk doesn't hold true when it comes to his work."

"Th-thank you," Nowaki mumbled, embarrassed.

"Oh, you're quite adorable," the man stated, circling Hiroki like a hawk, making him glare, "but to be perfectly honest, it was his professor who persuaded him to come meet me. He practically dragged him along. I admonished him when I found out about the whole incident. I do hope you didn't hold it against Nowaki-kun for long."

"What do you mean when you 'found out?'" Hiroki blinked.

The man smiled. "Nowaki scolded me the next day."

"Nowaki!" Hiroki exclaimed, having not known.

"He shouldn't have made such a big deal about coming- he comes to Japan every other month just because he likes rice balls!" Nowaki defended his past actions.

"They're delicious and American-made rice balls just don't cut it," the man stated, matter-of-factly.

Hiroki's eye twitched. "You fly all the way from America to Japan just to get rice balls?"

"I used to do it twice a week, but my husband found out and restricted my access to our shared account."

"Ah… husband?" Hiroki blinked.

"Yes, I'm married." The man gestured to his ring with a sly grin.

"But what goes on in Japan stays in Japan." Tsumori smirked and Dr. Carter laughed.

"No, I'm a very devoted husband, just like Nowaki."

"Hmpf." Hiroki glanced Nowaki's way, annoyed. "If he were devoted, he'd tell me about stuff like this instead of leaving me to just arrive, looking like a shlub… and I assume I'm making dinner, too?"

Nowaki smiled. "I told them you're a good cook!"

"He's been such a liar, lately," Tsumori stated.

"Why is HE here?" Hiroki snapped without holding back and Dr. Carter laughed.

"I don't know either, he just tagged along."

"I just REALLY like Hiro-chan's eggs." Tsumori smirked at the way Hiroki glowered when he called him 'Hiro-chan.'

"I'm not making EGGS for dinner!"

"Hiro-san may not be the best cook, but there's one meal he's absolutely the greatest at!" Nowaki clasped his hands in front of his face and winked, nailing 'cute,' somehow.

Hiroki sighed. "Fine, but you're in big trouble as soon as they leave."

"I want to stay the night, again," Tsumori whined and Hiroki glowered.

"Absolutely not!"

"Again?" Dr. Carter blinked, looking from Tsumori to Hiroki, then glancing curiously at Nowaki.

"Don't bring it up- it's a nightmare," Nowaki sighed.

"Need some help in the kitchen, _Hiro-chan_?" Tsumori offered.

"Yes, if you'd accompany me to the knife drawer, and then mysteriously disappear, that would be very helpful."

"Actually, we'll finish playing cards."

"Thank you for your hospitality." Dr. Carter smiled.

"Nowaki, do you mind helping me in the kitchen for a sec?" Hiroki smiled.

"Ah… sure, Hiro-san." Nowaki smiled, nervously. He knew he was in for it.

Carter glanced at Tsumori who smirked and raised a pinky. Carter quirked a brow.

Nowaki entered the kitchen and Hiroki folded his arms, opening his mouth to scold the bastard into the next year, but Nowaki beat him to the punch.

"Hiro-san, who's Shinoda-san?"

Hiroki's mouth just hung open for a second while the question registered, then he promptly closed it, eyes widening.

"H-huh?"

"Shinoda-san…? Do you know who that is?"

"Ah…ah… how… when did you…?"

"He brought his son in for an appendectomy and I met him… I was wondering how well you knew him?"

"What did he say?" Hiroki asked.

"He said he knew you- and I think he meant to imply that you two had shared a relationship… um… a physical one."

"I don't know about _that_," Hiroki sighed, closing his eyes. "But I haven't seen, spoken to, or heard from him since before I met you, so don't worry about it."

"Okay, Hiro-san," Nowaki sighed, relieved- then, remembering he was in a heap of trouble, he struggled to force idle conversation, "Err… how's Takatsuki-san?"

"Nowaki, I'm not going to kill you for springing this all on me but please make note of what I'm about to say."

"Of course, Hiro-san, every word that leaves your mouth is treasured very dearly in my heart."

Hiroki flushed even deeper. "I'm not going to break up with you, despite that horribly mushy nonsense you just spouted, or all of this bull crap, but I am absolutely mentally and emotionally exhausted. So after they leave, I want you to cater to my every whim."

Nowaki glanced over his shoulder at the others, who were discussing something in English, before leaning in closer to his lover.

"Is everything alright, Hiro-san?"

"Yes," Hiroki muttered. "It's just complicated work stuff."

"Are you and your superior on bad terms?" Nowaki asked.

"Ah… yeah… sort of." Hiroki scratched the back of his head. When had he told Nowaki about that? "How… did you-?"

"Usami-san sent me a very horribly written text message. I think he needed an excuse to take a break from his manuscript so he sent me a note, telling me what was going on with you and to be super nice to you. I feel bad, because now I'm springing this on you, but I REALLY wanted to show you off to Carter-sensei. I think he thought I was lying about being in a committed relationship with another male to gain his favor, and I wanted to show him how happy we are together."

Hiroki sighed, looking away. "In some ways, you're still such a kid."

Nowaki noticeably wilted. "Oh, Hiro-san… why?"

Sighing again, Hiroki placed a hand on Nowaki's head. "It's okay… I love that you're so open and honest."

"I love you too, Hiro-san." Nowaki perked up a bit.

Hiroki smiled slightly. He had had too rough a day to go making it worse for himself. Sometimes mushy moments could be good, too.

Or whatever.

So after destroying dinner, he made instant ramen, (which turned out to be Dr. Carter's favorite food), and they bid farewell to the man and to Tsumori, who reluctantly left with the other male.

"Tsumori-sempai is not gay, Hiro-san," Nowaki assured Hiroki as he massaged his feet that night.

"I don't care- I don't want him coming over again. Especially since he found out I suck at cooking."

Nowaki muttered something that resembled 'he already knew that,' and when prompted to speak up and repeat himself, upon falling silent, Hiroki kicked him gently in the head.

Nowaki chuckled softly. "Hiro-san, Carter-sensei said you were adorable!"

"How can a thirty year old man be adorable?" Hiroki snapped, annoyed.

"I don't know how you do it, Hiro-san, but you sure are!"

"No way. Not a thirty year old man."

"But what happens when I turn thirty?" Nowaki whined. "Will it be impossible then, too?"

Hiroki lowered his book and glared at the smirking male. "You're awfully cheeky, lately."

Nowaki's gentle smile slowly faded, replaced with a look of sincere concern. "What happened today, Hiro-san?"

Hiroki raised his book again, pretending to be enthralled, again. "Mm?"

"With your professor? Did you get him fired?"

Hiroki lowered the book, annoyed. "How long was this text Akihiko sent you?"

"It came through as seventeen separate texts. I had to wait until I thought they were done being received before opening the first."

"Che! BAKAhiko!"

"He really didn't want to work on his manuscript, from what I gather." Nowaki shrugged. "So? What happened?"

"I was wrong, I guess. The dean is resigning."

"Is that bad?"

"Not necessarily. I really liked him, and I guess, well the tough part is, the chairman hasn't told his wife or children about what's going on. That puts Professor Miyagi in a tough spot."

"Because the chairman's daughter is his ex-wife and his son is his current lover, right?" Nowaki recalled.

"Right."

"And the chairman asked him not to tell anyone?"

"Right."

"Ah, you aren't going to tell Risako-san are you?"

"I promised Professor Miyagi I wouldn't."

"So are you going to?"

"YOU BASTARD! You're the same as him!"

"Quite different, actually- it's you who's predictable," Nowaki teased.

"I'm not going to tell her… it's not my place to get involved…"

=.=.=.=

"Miyagi!" Shinobu exclaimed as he threw open Miyagi's front door.

Miyagi looked up from uncovering his latest creation; Kamijou's glasses in a large bowl-shaped jell-o monstrosity. Shinobu's eye twitched.

"I saw it on a TV show and it was too good of an idea to pass up- what's up, Shinobu-chin?" Miyagi smiled.

"Are those Kamijou-sensei's GLASSES?"

"Hehhehehyeah!" Miyagi grinned. "Boy is he going to _flip_ when he sees this!"

Shinobu ran his hand down his own face, annoyed and actually sympathizing for the man he'd come to loathe until very recently. "You'd better not pull this type of infantile stuff when you're chairman."

Miyagi's smile diminished and he leaned back in his chair. "So your father told you?"

"No, Kamijou did."

"WHAT?" Miyagi whipped out his cell and dialed Kamijou's number, standing and fuming.

_"Hello?"_ Hiroki answered, after a moment.

"You BASTARD!"

"I promised I wouldn't tell _Risako_ and I didn't."

"How did you even get his number?"

"I didn't call him, he made me tell him!"

Miyagi glanced warily at Shinobu, who didn't look guilty at all.

Though that didn't mean much.

Sighing, Miyagi hung up on Kamijou, took a picture of the jell-o monstrosity and sent it to him, then shut his phone off.

"Okay, so…" he sighed. "What all do you know?"

"He said that father is resigning. He didn't say why. He said I should talk to you about it."

"Why would he tell you?" Miyagi sighed.

"I think he knows that you want to tell me. And he knew I'd understand that you felt obligated not to, since you and my father are friends. He doesn't want you stressing out."

"Is that what he told you to agree to say before he told you?"

"Pretty much." Shinobu shrugged. "So what is it?"

Miyagi sighed. "Great. If I tell you to go talk to your father about it, he'll know I blabbed to Kamijou. If I tell you, you'll probably confront him yourself, so it's the same either way."

"I know that he would never cheat on my mother, so it has to be something bad. Like he's dying or something." Shinobu frowned. "Miyagi, please tell me if my father is-!"

"Shinobu-chin, I love you more than anything which is why I don't want to be the one to have to tell you what's going on- especially since your father asked me, as an old friend, not to. So please don't make me."

He looked so serious, Shinobu actually took pity on him. He was still upset, but the way his lover had asked proved that he was really torn.

"Part of me really wants to tell you, you know. Not only is this shit weighing on me, heavily but… I should be more loyal to you than to him. But the level 2 loyalty to him, combined with the fact that finding out would hurt you adds up to… to… I'm not telling."

Shinobu's eyes narrowed and his brows furrowed. His lips formed a thin line and he shook his head slowly from side to side. "What?"

"Shut up! All of my mental energy has been allocated toward coming up with stupid resignation letters, going over various scenarios in my head and putting glasses in jell-o!"

Shinobu let out a soft sigh, eyes closing, brows rising and shoulders slumping- all signs of resignation. Slowly, he stepped forward, closing the gap between him and his lover and he wrapped his arms carefully around the older male's waist. "I'm sorry, Miyagi."

"I'm sorry, too." Miyagi instinctively closed his own arms around the boy, then tightened his hold, resting his cheek against the top of the teen's head. "You're going to be so upset. You already know that."

"So until I find out, I want to be happy. As happy as one can be when they know there's something bad coming," Shinobu fished.

Miyagi smirked, tightening his hold even more. "Understood. What's the first order of business, then?"

Shinobu thought before deciding. "Take me out for a romantic night… if you're going to be dean, then treat me to a fancy dinner and a nice hotel."

"Are you sure you want to celebrate it?"

"Whether he's sick or whatever… I'll deal with it when I find out. Right now, the only facts I know are that you're probably going to take his spot, since everyone likes you and you've accomplished more than that idiot Saitou, and that you owe me. So? Take me out."

Miyagi laughed. "It's not like that kind of move is certain- they may hire a chairman from outside the university. I may not have enough tenure to fill that spot, yet."

"Don't pretend you don't have confidence in your work," Shinobu huffed. "Your works, from common reviews to the elaborate dissertations you write are renowned… sure, only nerds admire you, really, but even that's something!"

"Only Shinobu-chin could turn a lovely compliment into something that makes me feel bad about myself," Miyagi sighed. "But it's okay- I'll opt only to remember the first part."

"So where are you taking me?"

"I don't feel like taking you out," Miyagi explained and Shinobu glared. "I'd rather take you right here, right now."

"Ah-!" Shinobu gasped as Miyagi grabbed him up and hoisted him over his shoulder with one arm, using his free hand to begin unbuttoning his pants as he headed for the couch. "M-Miyagi! W-wait!"

"I've waited all day and I want to release it inside you, tonight."

The teen's face heated up and reddened even more quickly than it had already been, from the up-side-down position of his head. "Ah… M…Miyagi!"

"Prepare yourself." Miyagi tossed him onto the couch with a sly grin as he slid his hand into his boxers and eyed the flushed-faced teen. "And this weekend, I'll take you for a three-day get-away. How's that sound?"

Shinobu brightened considerably, unbuttoning his shirt. "That sounds like it better be a promise!"

"It is," Miyagi stated, smile fading. 'You're going to need it, Shinobu-chin… tonight, I'll try harder than ever to be gentle.'

Shinobu's smile lessened as well, and he blinked. "Miyagi…? What's wrong? Can't keep it?"

"Keep it?" Miyagi blinked, snapping out of it.

"I asked if it was a promise… and you frowned."

"No… I'm not frowning."

"Yes you are." Shinobu blinked innocently up at him. "Miyagi, is everything alright with you?"

Earlier, when Shinobu had happened upon Kamijou whilst looking for his precious Miyagi, the man had looked quite distressed, and when pressured into revealing that the dean was resigning, the assistant professor had also warned Shinobu that the information was weighing very heavily on Miyagi- that he'd said so himself.

Frowning, Shinobu forced a small smile up at his lover and let his shirt slide down his shoulders. "Come here, Miyagi. I'll make you forget everything except tonight."

Miyagi's smile returned and he climbed onto the couch, reaching out to touch his lover's face. Shinobu cocked his head to the side, eyes narrowing and then closing as both men kissed lovingly, then heatedly.

Shinobu hoped Miyagi would keep his promise… because he was definitely keeping his.

=.=.=.=

**AN: **Is the dean sick? Did he have an affair with a student? Is he tired of being an idol to nerds like Miyagi and Kamijou? Find out, next time, in a brand new chapter of-! Just kidding.

Next chapter is the last.


End file.
